MS To Become Open Source Friendly Post Gates 424
ruphus13 writes "Now that Gates has 'retired' from Microsoft, ZDNet is speculating that Microsoft will become much more Open Source friendly. From the article, 'We already see quite a different approach to dealing with OSS and OSS companies from Sam Ramji's group [which is] doing a great job in establishing dialog,' said Rafael Laguna, CEO of Open-Xchange and a former marketing exec at SUSE Linux. 'With Gates' departure, the only mammoth remaining is Ballmer. With him away in a near future, Microsoft will definitely open up. They have to.'" Microsoft could become the world's largest open source company; they've certainly made some concessions to it lately.
April Fools? (Score:4, Funny)
In related news... (Score:5, Funny)
Nazis to become Pro-Jew post Hitler.
Christians to become Pro-Reason post Apocalypse.
KKK to become Pro-Black post Hanging.
Ha ha ha ha (Score:5, Funny)
Ha ha ha ha
(catches breath)
Ha ha ha
Re:System complexity driving OSS? (Score:5, Funny)
...at some point it 'breaks the camels back' and no business can hope to maintain something so large and unwieldy.
So, you're saying that in the future, all programmes will be written in perl?
Re:Balmer? (Score:4, Funny)
WARNING! Incoming chairs detected!
it won't be a bad thing to have an Open Windows (Score:4, Funny)
i would just love the day when i can just go to an MS website click a link download windows and be installing it when in minutes with out spending a dime.
it could happen and very like will here's how:
Microsoft has its fingers is A-LOT of things (X box, Zune, Internet Services) just cut one of them off:
Windows, windows should be open source just the OS that way with proper guidance from the whole things like security bug ans flaws in the code will be ironed out in no time.
its other applications could be rolled into its internet services (see google docs). and then Windows would be separate from MS and, MS could go about making money and forget about the OS market which is too unstable and Unwieldy. they like to say that they'll support there software LOL yea right if your pay extra and that ISN'T support
support wouldn't be needed if there wouldn't be problems with your software and there wouldn't be problems if every one could just look at it and fix it.
Also if JUST windows the OS and only the OS was made open source they could say goodbye to the Department of Justice for good and there anti-trust lawsuit woes would be over. Its kinda hard to have a monopoly when your not REALLY making money from it. (donations wouldn't count, but heck they probably wouldn't get one for awhile as many peeps as they have pissed off heh)
Also pirates would become a non-issue when your just giving away your stuff for free they won't be pirates any more.
I have one requests of Sam Ramji PLEASE make this world a better place and make your life much easier by spinning off the Windows OS into an open source organization, please.
P.S. There is a reason why Firefox stomps IE and That's because WE made it good - Windows can be good too if you let us (the end users) make it that way
I suppose... (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah right (Score:5, Funny)
Is it April already? (Score:3, Funny)
I hear Ballmer is really into poniez.
Re:it won't be a bad thing to have an Open Windows (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Speculation means nothing (Score:5, Funny)
Microsoft will definitely open up.
Or close down. I know which I'd prefer.
Re:System complexity driving OSS? (Score:5, Funny)
...one line of PERL!
Re:It's like this every year. (Score:3, Funny)
Green envy and spam (Score:5, Funny)
Green envy and spam [slashdot.org]
With apologies to Dr "Suse", to the tune of "Green Eggs and Ham".
Linux can. Linux can. Use Linux.
That Linux can! That Linux can! I do not like that Linux can!
Do you like open sourcing plan?
I do not like that Linux can. I do not like the open sourcing plan.
Would you like to free source share?
I would not like to free source share. I would not like it anywhere. I do not like open sourcing plan. I do not like that Linux can.
Would you like it very stable? Would you like it to enable?
I do not like it very stable. I do not like it to enable. I do not like to free source share. I do not like it anywhere. I do not like the open sourcing plan. I do not like that Linux can.
Would you use it in a X-Box? Would you use it if it ROCKS?
Not on X-box. Not if it rocks. Not if very stable. Not to enable. I would not let them free source share. I would not let them anywhere. I would not allow open sourcing plan. I do not like that Linux can.
Would you? Could you? In your biz? Use it! Use it! Here it is.
I would not, could not, in our biz.
You may like it. You will see. You may like it if it's free!
I would not, could not if its free. Not in our biz! It should never be!
I do not like it on the X-box. I do not like it that it rocks. I do not like it amongst our biz. I do not like it that it is. I do not like they free source share. I do not like that anywhere. I do not like that Linux can. I do not like you Linux man!
service! service! service! service! Could you, would you, as a service?
Not as a service! Not if it's free! Not in my biz! Man! Let not it be! I would not, could not, on a X-box. I could not, would not, if it rocks. I will not use it if its stable. I will not use it even to enable. I will not let them free source share. I will not let them anywhere. I do not like open sourcing plan. I do not like that Linux can.
Say! if in copyleft? always free copyleft! Would you, could you, copyleft?
I would not, could not, in copyleft.
Would you, could you, why so nervous?
I would not, could not, I'm NOT nervous. Not as copyleft. Not as a service. Not in my biz. Not if it's free. I do not like that it can, you see. Not if it's stable. Not on X-box. Not to enable. Not if it rocks. I will not let them free source share. I do not like it anywhere!
You do not like open sourcing plan?
I do not like that Linux can.
Could you, would you use what we wrote?
I would not, could not, use what you wrote!
Would you, could you, to avoid your bloat?
I could not, would not, avoid bloat. I will not, will not, use what you wrote. I will not compete with them as a service. I will not because it makes us nervous. Not in our biz! Not if it's free! Not if it is! You let me be! I do not like it on the X-Box. I do not like it that it Rocks. I will not use it if it's stable. I do not like that it does enable. I do not like they free source share. I do not like it ANYWHERE I do not like open sourcing plan!I do not like that, Linux can.
You do not like it. So you say. Try it! Try it! And you may. Try it and you may, I say.
Man! If you will let me be, I will try it. You will see.
Say! I like open sourcing plan! I do! I like that, Linux can! And I would use it because it's stable. And I could use it to enable...
And I could charge for providing a service. And I could copyleft without being nervous. And in my biz. And still source free. For you can still charge for a service fee!
So I will use it on the networked X-box. And I will promote it because it ROCKS. And I will use it because it's stable. And I will use it to enable.
And I will use it here and there. Say! I can use it ANYWHERE!
I do so like open sourcing plan! Thank you! Thank you, Linux man!
By The Cat with the Red Hat
Re:Balmer? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Ha ha ha ha (Score:4, Funny)
You must not be new here ;)
Of course (Score:3, Funny)
Cuz we all know that Bill Gates was at the forefront, standing fast on the thin red line between Microsoft and the open source hordes. Now that he's out of the way, I'm sure there'll be no other obstacles.
It's already been done by RMS (Score:2, Funny)
"They spread enough FUD that it wouldn't be hard to to convince a lot of people that free=open source"
RMS already confused the issue by calling his open source projects "free".
Not true. (Score:5, Funny)
So there's actually very little of the company whose business model is compatible with open source licensing. That's where you'll see change, if it happens -- not in Bill Gates leaving Microsoft.
Actually, Microsoft is quite compatible with open source. There is a lot of open source built right into the OS. The integration of data with internet programs has allowed for the open sourcing of your address books, and vulnerabilities in the mail and web clients have led to the open sourcing of plenty of personal data.
Don't get too excited (Score:3, Funny)
Re:In related news... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Not true. (Score:0, Funny)
Security risks == open source. LOL.
Re:System complexity driving OSS? (Score:1, Funny)
No thanks, reverse engineering is easier than reading Perl oneliners. Closed Source is definitely more open than Perl.
Re:System complexity driving OSS? (Score:4, Funny)
...one line of PERL!
You know what they say. If it can't be done in one line of perl, it's not turing-complete.
Re:In related news... (Score:2, Funny)
Please read 1984 before you talk about 1984. Thank you.
I'd go one farther.
If you didn't LIVE 1984, don't talk about it.
lol, rofl, ymmv, etc. :-o
--Toll_Free
Re:remember the OLD IBM? (Score:3, Funny)
Don't you know the new required thought pattern? We aren't supposed to remember how nasty IBM were.....There was a time when Microsoft were the good guys,
Wrong thread, we only remember microsoft as good guys when we talk about google.
Re:"Not Invented Here" (Score:3, Funny)
wait did you say Microsoft or sun?
Re:System complexity driving OSS? (Score:2, Funny)
You know what they say? Humour is a property of people, not scientists.