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It is not a threat, it is a warranty
Companies that are in business generally behave within a range of ethics that pertain to business. The unwashed techno-geek typically seems to have no appreciation for this fact of life and doubts that companies will behave because they themselves do not seem to feel bound by the same beliefs. That is sad, but it does not change the way that companies operate.

When a company commits to using Microsoft products in a way that affects their operations, profits, and losses, they expect that Microsoft will stand up for their interests and defend them from these "vulnerabilities". OSS companies want to get into the business of selling their application expertise by applying the "open" freeware programs that they charge to support.

This is an easier sale than having to sell the underlying infrastructure first and the OSS entreprenuer carries no up front costs in obtaining commercial software. That is nice for the OSS app vendor, but it is an attempt to cheat the system by not making the up front investments that other, more conventional suppliers have to do.

The price that is paid for this short cut is the absence of any umbrella over the customer who is exposed to potential litgation due to the IP thefts that may have been performed by third parties who created the "open" code and failed to honor the patents and/or copyrights of the legitimate holders.
Posted by: StorageGuru   Posted on: 09/21/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Nice ... Really Nice  coffeenite | 09/21/04
Way too much greedy nutiness  Bill4 | 09/21/04
What's a big bad Monopoly to do?????  DonnieBoy | 09/21/04
Get a clue!  StorageGuru | 09/21/04
Stability? Target?  Ron Howard | 09/21/04
Re: Stability? Target?  Wolfie2K3 | 09/21/04
OK  Spoon Jabber | 09/22/04
Huh? Linux again???  rock06r | 09/26/04
Reasoned response to FUD  Zuidera | 10/26/04
They don't have to sue  nucrash | 09/21/04
True, FUD does work, it can also backfire.  DonnieBoy | 09/21/04
You confuse guilt with FUD  StorageGuru | 09/21/04
For Microsoft, the FUD is what matters.  DonnieBoy | 09/21/04
Easy to say  StorageGuru | 09/21/04
No, it's still FUD.  none none | 09/21/04
No confusion here  richdave | 10/03/04
I agree, MS won't do anything untill profits take a nose dive.  DonnieBoy | 09/21/04
Yes, the threat is more powerful than the execution.  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
It is not a threat, it is a warranty  StorageGuru | 09/21/04
Economic basis of open source.  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
Whatever you are smoking, I want some  richdave | 10/03/04
Commercial indemnification  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
They would stand behind the user. Always has.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Name once  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
Yes name just once.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/22/04
Did you forget Timeline?  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
A developer is not a user.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/22/04
Actually  Linux User 147560 | 09/22/04
Really?  richdave | 10/03/04
Defend it, of course  StorageGuru | 09/21/04
Track record  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
Take the famous Stac case  StorageGuru | 09/21/04
RE: Take the...  Iain_Peters | 09/21/04
actually, the proof is required the other way around  hipparchus2000 | 09/21/04
No one is going to sue users first  StorageGuru | 09/21/04
Where is the beef?  richdave | 10/03/04
Re: Get a clue!  none none | 09/21/04
Not much of an example of anything  amicus_curious | 09/22/04
Nicely written, well researched  Chad_z | 09/21/04
What a gift from Sun  FilledOut | 09/21/04
Not smacking down anybody.  dberlind | 09/21/04
True, but....  nucrash | 09/21/04
Sun can NOT sue you. They released under the LGPL.  DonnieBoy | 09/21/04
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.  DonnieBoy | 09/21/04
Nay  FilledOut | 09/22/04
Trying to Grapple the OSS Eel  P. Douglas | 09/21/04
Bingo!  rapson | 09/21/04
Agree except for...  seosamh_z | 09/21/04
True  rapson | 09/21/04
One word  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
Here's another  seosamh_z | 09/21/04
IBM: An impure evil.  hulse_kevin | 09/21/04
IBM: too big for their Britches  nucrash | 09/21/04
Which is More Evil?  P. Douglas | 09/21/04
A broader picture.  nucrash | 09/21/04
... with pieces missing.  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
OSS Provides Overall Less Advantages For Developers  P. Douglas | 09/21/04
out of date view of f/oss  LouS | 09/21/04
Volunteer??? Accountable???  richdave | 10/03/04
OK, explain to me, P. Douglas...  Yen_z | 09/21/04
TOUCHE!  FreeBSD | 09/22/04
Actually...  richdave | 10/03/04
Untangling a contradiction: IBM and software  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
Nothing new  rapson | 09/21/04
nope  Jeff Spicoli | 09/21/04
IBM Holding up OSS?  htotten | 09/21/04
What a Byzantine tale  richwig | 09/21/04
Openoffice users are safe - m$ better beware  mvaar | 09/21/04
All Qs, no As  Eggs Ackley_z | 09/21/04
And you added NO A.  Update victim | 09/21/04
That's fair (no answers)  dberlind | 09/21/04
Unh unh  richdave | 10/03/04
An attack on Red Hat by Microsoft ...  George Mitchell | 09/21/04
I disagree completely.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Considering the advantages of inaction...  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
Oh I agree, nothing will happen soon.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Stop fixating on Red Hat - the Redd Herring here  quietLee | 09/21/04
What a hoot!  George Mitchell | 09/21/04
what in OpenOffice do you think belongs to Microsoft  hipparchus2000 | 09/21/04
Of course ...  George Mitchell | 09/22/04
Re: I disagree completely.  Pafipe | 09/22/04
A couple of thoughts...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
That's why OSS needs to strike first  Michael Kelly | 09/21/04
Not interoperate, replicate  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
I don't think so Anton.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
XML needs traction. The rest?  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
Only the beginning...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Think again  Patrick Jones | 09/21/04
Not 'zactly  quietLee | 09/21/04
Yes, so..  Patrick Jones | 09/21/04
Not a problem at all ..  George Mitchell | 09/21/04
Funny...  Patrick Jones | 09/21/04
Hilarious, yes.  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
Those will have to be some BIG reasons..  Patrick Jones | 09/21/04
And why could Sun not just buy a license?  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
Of course they can, but that does nothing for open office.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Sun owns OpenOffice.  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
No, they do not OWN it. It's open source.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
here is copy from the site (since you have no clue)  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
Once more tail rider, it doesn't matter.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
No, they don't own it...  Michael Kelly | 09/21/04
Not correct  quietLee | 09/21/04
Oh, and by the way...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
How many times did you get burned on that  B.O.F.H. | 09/22/04
a lot of people would have trouble justifying upgrading Office  hipparchus2000 | 09/21/04
About all the patent issues  CobraA1 | 09/21/04
Not true.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Answer:  Michael Kelly | 09/21/04
No, you misunderstood.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Distinction without a difference  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
Of course I can sue MS, Sun, IBM, etc..  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Goose, sauce, gander  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
It's never happened and never will.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Interesting Conundrum  nucrash | 09/21/04
Is it money MS is after?  Michael Kelly | 09/21/04
True. In fact it makes sense to disgrace Red Hat.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Microsoft must be hurting for money!  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
$60 Billion says your wrong.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
If they have to do this, Microsoft is hurting!  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
Windows Everywhere is more than a slogan.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Sue Microsoft? ROTFLMAO  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
The fact you lack the ability has nothing to do with me.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Place your bets  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
Flailing at windmills  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Even you can say CLASS ACTION. Right?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Prudent use of resources  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
Never going to happen.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Amazing Mental Powers  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
Doesn't matter, the smart money knows where to place the bet.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Nice backpedal there, Don  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
Windows users are not indemnified by MS  hipparchus2000 | 09/21/04
You really don't know much about Open Source, do you?  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
Obviously you don't.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Where have you been for the past 20 years?  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
And once more, it doesn't matter.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
IBM and Red Hat have to indemnify someone?  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
But you couldn't sue Microsoft or Sun since your licence forbids it  hipparchus2000 | 09/21/04
How many users sued in the last class action?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Well?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/22/04
A little too much free time at the computer?  B.O.F.H. | 09/22/04
Try answering the question  eb276 | 09/22/04
Re: Try answering the question  B.O.F.H. | 09/22/04
True enough  eb276 | 09/22/04
Long Read, Quck Question?  jcs83 | 09/21/04
The value of uncertainty  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
I have to agree with...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
professional outfits will probably get insurance  hipparchus2000 | 09/21/04
Or not bother with the risk at all.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
End-Users won't get sued.  dberlind | 09/21/04
I agree completely...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Collaborative efforts vs products  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
Risky bet  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
An MS patent suit against Red Hat would be suicide  FamilyManFirst | 09/21/04
Microsoft needs to remember they are fighting open source, not Red Hat.  DonnieBoy | 09/21/04
Wrong, distro's are the target.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Why not Novell or SuSE  nucrash | 09/21/04
Why not Novell or SuSE  dberlind | 09/21/04
Precedent  Yagotta B. Kidding | 09/21/04
Take out the biggest target first...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Suse IS the largest player in Europe!  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
Maybe...  jcs83 | 09/21/04
But killing all the distros will not kill open source.  DonnieBoy | 09/21/04
No need to...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Wrong  Deletomn | 09/23/04
pushing people towards Debian  hipparchus2000 | 09/21/04
Walking on thin ice  rapson | 09/21/04
Hog wash...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Guess again...  Physco Dude | 09/21/04
Can you say web commerance?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
web commerance?  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
You have no idea do you.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Interesting theory, oh clueless one!  B.O.F.H. | 09/21/04
What ever you say tail rider...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/22/04
Message has been deleted.  B.O.F.H. | 09/22/04
Red Hat ain't in the crosshairs  quietLee | 09/21/04
Your fooling yourself if you think not.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
IBM Holding up OSS?  htotten | 09/21/04
Sue for WHAT?  mobrien_12@... | 09/21/04
Try reading the article.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Read it yourself!  mobrien_12@... | 09/21/04
That's what Custard said...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/22/04
this is why people should move from MS Office  V Sanders | 09/25/04
I think many are missing the point here  zedmann | 09/21/04
Sony beats everyone else? How?  Anton Philidor | 09/21/04
Yeah, 100 millions will replace everything.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/21/04
Missing the point, gaian  zedmann | 09/21/04
And Transmetta makes...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/22/04
Wrong  Deletomn | 09/23/04
More FUD  Fred Fredrickson | 09/21/04
More FUD?  zedmann | 09/21/04
Three words: VBA  amicus_curious | 09/22/04
All Looking At Reflection Of Same Fire.  ParadigmOdyssey | 09/21/04
Look at it this way........  Freejack_z | 09/22/04
what infringes on their patent or copyright?  bspilde@... | 09/22/04
No one wants to look out of fear.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/22/04
Reverse is true too  voska | 09/22/04
the ability to read and write ms's patented doc standard  V Sanders | 09/25/04
Lawyers are modern societies' terrorists  nomadh | 09/22/04
More than that  rapson | 09/22/04
As Usual Microsoft Works Hard to Keep US in PC Dark Ages  brenthawkinsmd | 09/22/04
Um, clue, Microsoft has done nothing with this. Yet.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/22/04
oh they are though no ax, they are (NT)  V Sanders | 09/25/04
The basic problem is the US patent low  laci2126 | 09/26/04
Your point is?  richdave | 10/03/04

What do you think?

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