Microsoft and Apache - What's the Angle?

A week ago, we discussed Microsoft's contribution to the Apache Foundation. Now, Bruce Perens has written an analysis "exploring the new relationship of Microsoft and the Apache project, how it works as an anti-Linux move on Microsoft's part, and what some of the Open Sourcers are going to do about having Microsoft as a rather untrustworthy partner." In particular, he notes: "...Microsoft can still influence how things go from here on. If they have to live with open source, the Apache project is Microsoft's preferred direction. Apache doesn't use the dreaded GPL and its enforced sharing of source-code. Instead, the Apache license is practically a no-strings gift, with a weak provision against patent lawsuits as its most relevant term. Microsoft can take Apache software and embrace and enhance, providing their own versions of the project's software with engineered incompatibility and no available source, just as they forced incompatibility into the Web by installing IE with every Windows upgrade."

extend

[hey]

and extinguish

Re:Honestly?

[uassholes]

Fan boy.

Re:What's the angle?

[larry bagina]

I'm not sure if you're referring to Bruce, Microsoft, Apache, or Slashdot.

Re:This is why I love Microsoft

[master5o1]

Life is like a boxset of Movies, We have the good guys, and the bad guys, and the recurring villain, Microsoft.

Re:Relief?

[rebelcan]

The room you are in is dark.

You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

However, as you are already dead from lack of oxygen, you don't really mind all that much.

Re:Bruce Perens link

[Anonymous Coward]

Do you get a lot of trollcalls by doing this?

Kind of thinking of the midnight phone boys things the entire Lockwood family was caught up in.

Re:Bruce Perens link

[Bruce Perens]

No. A phone call is a closer contact than most trolls can handle emotionally. Most of them can't even sign their name in a textual communication.

Yeowza

[Gary W. Longsine]

Bruce Perens is the Chuck Norris of the geek world. He doesn't age. He recompiles time.

Re:Angle of teh dangle

[Bruce Perens]

I told the reporter from Redmond Journal yesterday that Microsoft was like someone who pisses on your front door and then knocks and asks nicely to come in to your party.

I don't think he's going to print that :-)

Re:Relief

[Acapulco]

Who knows? Maybe he's The One...