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They can't afford to get caught!
>>If they in fact keep it open and aren't taking code from the GPL to use in their product<<

I'd like to think that they would refuse to co-opt GPL code out of simple pride. But in fact it's way too easy for them to get caught using stuff in a closed product. I can even see how they might possibly, somehow, with extreme reservation, use it in an actual open product but I doubt they would risk being found in flagrante delicto with any GPL code. The negative fallout would be even worse than the way they have flouted the law because legal issues are open to interpretation, i.e. spin and emotional outbursts that are unresponsive to the issue but distract sufficiently to let the hubbub die down until folks forget what was actually done. But using FOSS code in a closed product is too egregious for them to recover from easily if at all.

Perhaps my tin-foil hat isn't snugged down properly and I have succumbed to alien orders, but I don't see it happening unless some lower echelon "cowboy" runs amok and doesn't get caught before the product goes out the door. And I don't see them doing anything but apologizing for the "error" (of their [former] employee, not something they did) and rewriting it ASAP in the event that something like that should happen.
Posted by: Still Lynn   Posted on: 04/06/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Funny to watch them trying to be cool, pretend they actually like Linux.  DonnieBoy | 04/05/06
Funny, a paraphrase of that quote was used..  Code Poet | 04/05/06
Only a fool would open his arms up to ...........  Can you hear me | 04/05/06
Satan  dwest_z | 04/06/06
You often want MS to play fair or such  Boot_Agnostic | 04/06/06
Only the worst sort of zealot would make that post.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/06/06
Sure, MS and IBM and MS and others have worked together ...  Judas I. | 04/06/06
Gee, you should have heard what they called OS/2.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/06/06
And it wasn't as an entire company POLICY either, Axey!  Judas I. | 04/06/06
You must be talking about before the breakup. happy  rsteiner@... | 04/06/06
OS/2 Warp 4  nomorems | 04/06/06
It is only about money...  osreinstall | 04/06/06
It's about the money  rodney@... | 04/06/06
Well DUH, of course it's about the money.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/06/06
No Ax to Grind? -- NOT!  rodney@... | 04/06/06
ZEALOTS, Join a Cult...DEBIAN  rodney@... | 04/06/06
Pot, kettle, black...  Still Lynn | 04/06/06
Hehehe "working together" for the welfare of mankind etc.  michael_t | 04/06/06
Well, here you miss the point you so ofter make...  John Zern | 04/06/06
I guess it's only funny to you.  Still Lynn | 04/06/06
How nice  D. T. Schmitz | 04/05/06
To millions of non-zealots it is.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/06/06
Take a break  D. T. Schmitz | 04/06/06
Customer uptake in the ###millions###?  Still Lynn | 04/06/06
Do NOT go through the doors.....  shawkins | 04/06/06
nice  Scott W | 04/06/06
I smell a Xenix return.  Mr. Roboto | 04/05/06
i'll give them a benefit of the doubt for once  Monkey_MCSE | 04/05/06
Depends on where it comes from  RJCorfield | 04/06/06
They can't afford to get caught!  Still Lynn | 04/06/06
I have to dispute a couple of points  sjpatrick | 04/07/06
Your raise good points  Still Lynn | 04/07/06
Well at least...  sjpatrick | 04/07/06
Seriously  spinits | 04/06/06
SUSE Linux  bportlock | 04/06/06
You may not want to know this.  rodney@... | 04/06/06
I haven't figured it out yet either ...  Still Lynn | 04/06/06
LOL!  Still Lynn | 04/06/06
never trust M$ ever  toxicfreak | 04/06/06
BWAHAHAHAHA!  Chad_z | 04/06/06
Yeah, those "dumb" PHDs know nothing.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/06/06
Still struggling with that A+ certificatin Bitty?  BUCKWHEATONRICE | 04/06/06
What's next - taking over Fedora?  archerjoe | 04/06/06
Give it some Credit  Kimbok@... | 04/06/06
Old leopard, new spots? Maybe.  Still Lynn | 04/06/06
Microsoft to 'open the doors' of Linux labs  Loverock Davidson | 04/06/06
Oh! You are SUCH a flaming giggle, Rockhead.  Judas I. | 04/06/06
I'm glad to see you've forgotten ...  Still Lynn | 04/06/06
Windows Runs FreeBSD WAY better than Linux  dingletec_z | 04/06/06
So it doesn't run on the M$ product?  Still Lynn | 04/07/06
To stir things a bit more read this beauty  crocd | 04/06/06
Yep, embrace ... extend ... exterminate ... (NT)  Judas I. | 04/06/06
Shining the EC on?  Still Lynn | 04/06/06
Endless story?  mre.godin@... | 04/06/06
1940: Hitler deceives Stalin | 2006 Microsoft tries a new deceptio  interoperate | 04/06/06
Fraudian Slip...  osreinstall | 04/06/06
It is getting more and more clear that NOT even MS  michael_t | 04/06/06
Huh??? Didn't MS just up the anti-Linux FUD on their "Get the FUD" site ???  Plain Logic | 04/06/06
Microsoft opening it's doors to Linux  Michael Franks | 04/07/06
Or get Linux, Unix, BSD, et al.  AZflyman | 04/07/06
"Windows is a huge program . . . amazing it works . . . "  brian ansorge | 04/08/06
It really has little to do with OSS  tracy anne | 04/07/06
FoxCo Offers Hen Boarding Service  gafisher@... | 04/07/06
Know thine enemy ...  mwagner@... | 04/07/06
Uninteresting site  Anti_Zealot | 04/09/06
RE: Microsoft to 'open the doors' of Linux labs  dhirajpatra | 06/16/08

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