OpenSource.org

I believe that there will soon be debate as to when Microsoft shot itself in the foot.

Many will say it was when they quit “freely” distributing their operating systems (which was great business when they were doing so, causing multiple millions of dollars of sales of software that ran on DOS and pre-XP Windows). Some will say it was when they got in bed with the fatcats at the MPAA and introduced DRM restrictions into DVD viewing with Vista.

But my personal opinion is that it was on May 14, 2007. That was the day that they went public with their intentions to sue the open source movement in general, and the companies behind the Linux kernel in particular, for copyright infringement.

What a bunch of clueless idiots. They are already making themselves and their stockholders billions in profits. They are guaranteed many, many more profitable years, no matter how big open source grows.

And yet, like Russia in 1968, they choose to attack a system that promotes open thinking and sharing of ideas over profits.

I'm actually tickled pink. The only thing that would make me happier is Barry Bonds being caught in a drug bust.

There is a tremendous amount of debate on the various forums between Linux “zealots” and Microsoft “shills” (trying to use the uncomplimentary terms equally). But the fact is that 95% of you computer operators just don't care about Microsoft's position in the market, or Linux's attempts to chip away at it.

Well, when the news spreads of the big fat corporation going after a bunch of independent developers who share their source code, instead of secreting it away with great paranoia, the public will notice.

I predict the reaction will be quite bad for the Redmond giant.

Today's FamilyFirst site is the official internet home of the open source movement, which has brought you Linux, PHP, MySQL, Open Office, Apache (80% of the internet runs on it), and numerous other programs and operating systems that would cause extreme hardship if a greedy, clueless corporation were to somehow win a baseless lawsuit.

Get mad, readers. Get very, very angry.

http://www.opensource.org/

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