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CD Duplicator Refuses Linux Job, Citing MS Contract 491
Jonathon writes "Seems a Microsoft imposed restraint of trade agreement and concerns about the SCO suit have prevented a New Zealand company duplicating 500 CDs for our upcoming installfest. The installfest was mentioned on /. just days ago."
The Installfest (Score:5, Informative)
As one of the helpers for the installfest, I can say that this is pretty much only going to help our cause. We couldn't ask for better advertising (both the NZ Herald, and Slashdot).
We will be ready, Saturday, with plenty of CDs (we hope).
Re:Helping the cause (Score:5, Interesting)
I'd say so. I downloaded Knoppix last night after the previous installfest story piqued my interest.
Things to note:
I've used Micosoft software since I started using PCs.
I'd never used any version of Linux before.
I was very impressed with what I saw.
Congratulations guys, you just gained a brand spanking new Linux user.
Re:Helping the cause (Score:4, Insightful)
Plenty of shiny new hardware breaks Windows -- in fact, so does a lot of old hardware.
I play Quake, Unreal Tournament, America's Army, etc. on Linux. Can't think of any better games that I'd want to play on Linux -- nor any that I can't.
Are you just a lttle behind the times? Fear is usually fought with fear; There's nothing more fearful, at times, than change.
Re:Helping the cause (Score:3, Interesting)
Next time you wanna make Linux CDs, call Malaysia (Score:4, Interesting)
The cost of making CDs in Malaysia is EXTRA-ORDINARILY LOW - amount to LESS THAN USD 0.25 per CD, with quantities of 500 or more.
No, I am NOT a CD pirate. I just know enough people who are in this line of "work" to know the cost.
Not only the cost is low, the CDs they produce are also of high quality - rejection rate of less than 0.5 %, and turn around time can be as short as 5 days.
And since it is NEVER ILLEGAL to make Linux CD-ROMs, legality wise there shouldn't be ANY PROBLEM.
So, next time if you wanna make CDs, or you have a rush job and still want to have high quality CDs made, give Malaysia a call.
You won't be disappointed !
What are we trying to achive?? (Score:5, Insightful)
By moving the CD copying to Malaysia, it's sort of implied that there's some pirating going on here! Newbies to Linux don't need this FUD - it could deter a few of them from joining the fest.
Yesterday's interview, McBride stated that the case is entering a 'discovery' phase - this clearly indicates that SCO is only interested in FUD, and not a quick court action. It would help if more countries follow the example of Germany, Poland and others in exposing SCO's conduct, and seek penalties for future instances of FUD.
You CAN pirate Gnu/Linux - 2 ways (Score:5, Funny)
2. Hijack the ship coming from Malaysia with all the linux cd's. Equipment you'll need: eyepatch, parrot, pegleg, makeshift plank for the crew to walk, silly accent. Say "Yarrrrrr!" a lot and complain about scurvy.
Re:What are we trying to achive?? (Score:4, Informative)
That 'discovery phase' that you incorrectly put into quotes isn't some made up thing that SCO is using to delay a court action. Discovery is a part of every litigation that happens. Unlike TV courtroom dramas where the defense introduces some amazing new evidence at the last minute, thus saving the day, in real court cases both sides know *everything* the other side knows *before* the trial even starts. There are no surprises and no 11th hour miracles.
The fact that the litigation is now in discovery does not in any way, shape, or form, indicate that SCO is just interested in FUD.
Geez, if you can't be bothered to learn even a little bit of how the court system works at least go rent a copy of, "My Cousin Vinny". Discovery is covered very well in that movie by Marisa Tomei.
Re:What are we trying to achive?? (Score:4, Insightful)
So how would one prove to a skeptic that one has a right to use the intellectual property contained in a Knoppix distro? That's a lot of code, and I doubt its covered by just one license!
FUD & GAMES (Score:4, Funny)
FUD = Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.
GAMES = God Always Makes Engineers Suffer
Re:Next time you wanna make Linux CDs, call Malays (Score:5, Interesting)
They are also actively promoting Linux to businesses who are looking for alternatives to microsoft during the latest software piracy crackdown.
Pirates have brought linux to Malaysia! Pirates aren't that bad after all ;)
Re:Next time you wanna make Linux CDs, call Malays (Score:5, Insightful)
>It's ironic that people will go to illegal channels as the most efficient way to get that which is free and legal anyway
No, it's ironic that most people, including the justice department that brought the action against them, still use products from a company convicted of illegally leveraging a monopoly.
Re:Next time you wanna make Linux CDs, call Malays (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Next time you wanna make Linux CDs, call Malays (Score:3, Funny)
So, that means in doubt they should burn 3 more CDs to have the 500 required.
Will this help them benefit from the 501-1000-unit batch cheaper than the 1-500-unit one ?
Re:Next time you wanna make Linux CDs, call Malays (Score:5, Funny)
-Yes sir. You have reached the tourist center for Malaysia. How may I help you?
-I need 500 CDs burned fast!
-Excuse me sir?
-Like I said, I need 500 CDs burned and shipped before Saturday. I read about your country's amazing capabilities to do something like this on Slashdot and I figured I'd give it a shot.
-I'm sorry sir, this is a tourist hotline.
-Don't get smart with me, buddy. I know for a FACT that all you guys up in Malaysia are in the CD pirating business. Don't make me turn you in.
-I'd be happy to refer you to our Business Bureau.
-You don't get it! I don't want a bureau. I want some CDs. Legal CDs! Linux CDs! And you guys have to make them.
-I'm sorry sir, but I just can't help you.
-Sheesh. What do I need to do to get your country to make some CDs for me? Do I need to bribe you?
-Sir, you'll have to contact someone else for your needs. I can't help you.
-Sure you can. You're from Malaysia, and Malaysia makes CDs. Now what's it gonna take? Twenty dollars? A few shiny trinkets? You Malaysians go for that kind of stuff, right?
-<click>
Re:The Installfest (Score:4, Funny)
I'm sure the Society told these guys, "if you turn us down, we'll become more powerful than you can possibly imagine..."
Re:The Installfest (Score:3, Interesting)
How much does it cost to ship 50 freshly burned Knoppix CDs to NZ by Saturday? Can you give me an address so I can price shipping?
Not so surprising (Score:4, Interesting)
He is not stupid, and if Linux does not watch its back, the penguin might get slain, leaving the world without a reliable and secure OS.
Re:Not so surprising (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Not so surprising (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Not so surprising (Score:4, Funny)
And OTOH, they reward their loyal clients with Palladium, LookOut, spam, Subscription (dis)Advantage, BSA audits etc. Being an MS loyalist is tricky business!!
Re:Not so surprising (Score:3, Interesting)
Sounds rather like being a commissar under Stalin. Everything's all fine and dandy until one day the secret police are knocking your door down and dragging you off to a re-education camp in Siberia.
Stephen
Re:Not so surprising (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, I don't think it'll go down like that. I mean, sure, Software Images didn't get the contract for 500 CDs, but someone else (like Stebbing Recording Ltd?) did and they probably made a buck out of it. I think it is Bill that needs to watch his back, lest the a flock of hungry penguins eat all the herring while he's busy throwing FUD into the media.
Silly little companies like SI need to go out of business. It sounds like they're being MS-NZ's little bitch, and while that's good for the moment (if you like biting the pillow, that is), I don't expect they'll get any OSS business in the future. Is that a big thing? Yes, because that's the direction the market is moving and they've just blown themselves out of that game.
Re:Not so surprising (Score:5, Funny)
Uh. It's not as if *BSD is dying or something.
Re:Not so surprising (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not so surprising (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Not so surprising (Score:4, Interesting)
"SCO is about to attack BSD, too."
Umm, where did you read that? I'd just like to read it myself...
Linked For Your Pleasure! In this article [byte.com], Chris Sontag makes the case that essentially every operating system on earth is now SCO property. Somehow Sun is "in the clear,"but Microsoft is not. Key elements of this argument:
1) The original AT&T contracts deeded all IP derived from Unix back to AT&T
2) BSD is derived from this codebase as are all sysV implementations. Microsoft and Apple's current OS Offerings owe at least something to BSD.
3) The BSD case covered pre sysV code, which the SCO released under BSD license a few years ago in any case.
4) BSD has been contributed to since the case in 1994, and in some cases has received Linux code.
5) SCO alleges that the BSD folks have not lived up to their end of the 1994 agreement
It's a scary case, but honestly I don't see how any judge could grant such sweeping power to SCO. It would destroy the IT market utterly and cast a chilling effect on any computer science innovation in the US. This case is going to ultimately end up having to decide many age-old issues which have caused us problems such as people who do not create IP but lay claim to it after buying bits of companies then exercise their rights in a much more egregious manner than the original IP holder would have, and the court-testng of the GPL, among other things.
The whole SCO issue could backfire... (Score:5, Insightful)
I think Microsoft made a big mistake with the whole SCO thing. The more people are aware of licenses and the more people understand the GPL, the worse Microsoft looks in comparison.
The SCO case does hurt Linux in the short term, that's for sure. But in the long term, it will be just a confirmation of what many already know: That users of GPLed software are much safer from legal problems than users of commercial software.
With the millions of shares Microsoft executives sell constantly, maybe they don't care about the long term...
Re:The whole SCO issue could backfire... (Score:5, Informative)
No, they have formally filed suit [sco.com]. What they haven't done is gone into court, which promises to be intensely amusing, and not in a good way for SCO.
What they have threatened is to reveal evidence that would be damaging to IBM and give them control of Linux. Anybody who has actually looked at the details of the situation knows this is just verbal flatulence, with overtones of commercial fraud.
Re:The whole SCO issue could backfire... (Score:3, Informative)
What they have threatened is to reveal evidence that would be damaging to IBM and give them control of Linux. Anybody who has actually looked at the details of the situation knows this is just verbal flatulence, with overtones of commercial fraud.
Exactly.
SCO sounds like the poor little rich kid... (Score:4, Insightful)
A new family has just moved into the neighborhood. They're a hippie bunch, they all work different jobs, and even the kids work around the house to help out. Mommy says they're kinda low-class.
The primary purpose of the GNU organization is to create free software based on valuable commercial software.
Translation: "Mommy, that new kid wants my spot on the team. He's picking on me."
As long as the Linux development process remained uncoordinated and random, it posed little or no threat to SCO...
Translation: "Hee Hee The new kid sucks."
IBM initiated a course of conduct with the purpose and effect of using Linux to unfairly compete in the enterprise market.
Translation: "That new kid's kicking my ass. Cheater!!!"
It is not possible for Linux to rapidly reach UNIX performance standards for complete enterprise functionality without the misappropriation of UNIX code, methods or concepts to achieve such performance, and coordination by a larger developer, such as IBM.
Translation: "My mommy bought me a whole home gym and personal trainer. That new kid must be using steroids."
And, finally, this quote from IBM with which SCO takes issue in their complaint: ?IBM will put US $1 billion this year into Linux, the free operating system.
Translation: "Hey! That new kid just got recruited by State!"
Which makes the summary of the whole suit:
"Mommy! Waaaa!!!"
Re:Not so surprising (Score:5, Funny)
My Dear Friend IBM,
I am highly compelled upon strict recommendation, to write you this very
urgent and confidential letter.I do hope my letter will not embarrass you
since I had no previous correspondence with you.I hope this mail will not
come to you as a surprise.I am sending this proposal with due sense of
humanity, responsibility and with few awareness that you will give it a
sympathetic attention. I regret to the inconvenience it may cause you base on
the condition that we have not met before.
I wish to use this opportunity to introduce myself to you, I am Mr. Darl
McBride,the CEO of the former proprietor of Unixware in my home city of
Lindon, Utah, My Vice President Christopher Sontag had a synflood shot by the
GNU rebels on his way travelling to White Plains, a city after New York, your
headquarters along with my daughter, My daughter died on the spot while the
HP-UX team rescued my Vice President, he was taken to hospital for medical
treatment which he later died about three months now.
Fortunately, My Company has Ten million and Five hundred thousand United
States Dollars(US$10.5 million) cash, which he intended to use for investment
purposes overseas. This money is kept with private security company in Europe
since two years ago. It is only my son and myself that know where the money
is kept and has the documents for it.
Due to the current situation in the market concerning GNU's vendettas towards
my family, we seek your assistance to transfer the ownership of this fund to
you so that you can asisst us to claim it and used for the purpose of
investment as intended by my Vice President.
My family is currently being probed by this present GNU for alleged
involvement in misappropriation of GPL code during his regime.
Towards this effect, an embargo restricting my family members from traveling
or carrying out financial transactions without their express permission is in
force. Right now, my son and myself have concluded plans and decided to take
immediate claim of this fund so that we can use it to better our lives and
alliviate our present suffering hence this contact.
However, I have an arrangement on how you can help us to recieve this money
after receiving some assurances from you. The money personally belongs to my
Vice President and he intended that it still be used for investment. No
record ever existed concerning this money, neither is the money traceable by
the GNU rebels because there is no documentation concerning the funds in the
SEC reports. Bearing in mind that your assistance is needed to transfer this
fund, we propose a commission of 20% (Twenty Percent) of the total sum to you
for the expected services and assistance. While 5% is mapped out for
miscellaneous expenses.
On your positive consent, I shall expect you to contact me urgently to enable
us discuss about this.Your urgent response is highly needed. I must use this
opportunity to implore you to exercise utmost indulgence to keep this matter
extraordinarily confidential, while I await your prompt response.
Best regards,
MR. DARL MCBRIDE, SCO LINDON UTAH
Re:When is the Fall of MicroSoft Scheduled anyway? (Score:5, Funny)
No empire lasts forever, are the masses at the gates of the castle yet?
No, but the masses have surrounded the castle of Gates!
Re:Not so surprising (Score:5, Insightful)
This is +5 insightful??!
Microsoft started in a college dorm room. Within twenty-five years, Bill Gates turned it into an empire. In the competitive market for software in the 80s and early 90s, Microsoft swept over the competition, thanks largely to Bill Gates's ability to move MS into the right place at the right time, signing the right contracts with the right companies.
Now, he's reaping the benefits -- they've got $40 billion in cash, a 90%+ marketshare, and, yes, a monopoly. Bill Gates would eat you for breakfast in a "non-monopoly situation." Lord knows, he's done it to enough other companies.
Now, I'm sure Bill's still got a few tricks up his sleeve. If he were forced to compete in a free market, he'd probably still be doing pretty damn good for Microsoft. But why would he want to exert himself like that, if he can spend less effort maintaining the status quo, where not only does Microsoft make a profit, but they exceed the GDP of several small countries?
I'm certainly not an MS fanboy, but wisecracks like the parent post's are just ignorant. Monopolies don't come out of thin air -- you get to be the monopoly by being the best at the market (even, or probably especially, if that means being ruthless).
MS-DOS 6 was hardly best in the market. (Score:3, Insightful)
The billions that Microsoft has earned, which have come at the cost of true innovation in our industry, emerged when Microsoft generated substandard copies of Lotus 1-2-3, WordPerfect, etc. (Eudora?) and packaged these absolutely inferior, substandard applications with integration that would have been impossible to achieve without control of the OS.
I can't explain the reasoning behind Lotus' preference of OS/2 for 1-2-3 versus Windows (which helped kill them). I can't explain why WordPerfect stayed in the
Re:Not so surprising (Score:3, Insightful)
BillG was in the almost unique position of being able to structure the industry around Microsoft, rather than the more conventional case of fitting into an existing market. ie, the market that MS has a monopoly in was largely created by MS itself. Now, undoubtably if MS did not create the market, someone else would hav
Compete? I call bullshit (Score:3, Insightful)
You know this to be true. Everybody does. Any argument that Microsoft competed on the quality of their products is absolut
Don't be dumb, child (Score:4, Insightful)
Act like you have a pair (Score:5, Funny)
The company's name (Score:3, Funny)
Re:The company's name (Score:3, Funny)
-calyxa
Re:The company's name (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The company's name (Score:5, Interesting)
Everyone, submit this story (Score:3, Interesting)
I want to believe that this can't be completely legal. Does Thailand have any "illegal dumping" laws like (IIRC) the U.S.? Also, if this deal goes through, it might make interesting ammunition the next time Microsoft tries to "estimate" costs of illegal copying. Wait, how much is Windows really worth again? Retail, OEM, or $6? Al
Questions about copyrights, or the non-compete? (Score:3, Informative)
It's a private company (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:It's a private company (Score:5, Insightful)
This is more or less what happens with monopolies. They tell people who do good business with them that they can't do business with their competitors.
Now, I'm not saying that this is right or wrong (monopolies have to do something to stay in business, since they're so big and normal practices stop working), but it's something worth discussing.
Re:It's a private company (Score:2)
Yes a business should have a right to refuse business, but they do have an obligation to give a reason. Otherwise the customer has no way to even know WHY they are being refused, and that pretty much voids all of those laws forbidding some reasons. If it was because they were unsure the LUG had the right to reproduce the material they should say they need proof of their repro
Coke and Pepsi (Score:3, Insightful)
BS. This is more like telling some local kids with a lemonade stand that you can't help them because Pepsi doesn't like the competition.
yes, but it's very limited (Score:4, Informative)
But in any case, this case is completely unrelated to that, as it's about restraint of trade and anti-competitive business practices (if it's about anything at all).
Re:yes, but it's very limited (Score:3, Interesting)
Frankly, I am for this - not the prohibition of women (my wife), atheists (myself), and homosexuals (my best friend), mind you, but the right for a private establishment to allow or not allow anyone they choose for any reason.
Notice I say PRIVATE. The Boy Scouts and The Masters are private organizations, paid for by individuals, not the government, i.e. tax dollars. Everybody pays taxes (well, in theory), so everyone should have access to publically/federally funded organizations. Individua
Who cares (Score:2, Insightful)
I don't know about NZ, but where I live there (and it ain't silicon valley) there must be a dozen or more businesses in very easy distance which do CD mass duplication. So here's a tip: just ask somebody else.
CD mass duplication (Score:4, Funny)
YRO (Score:5, Insightful)
Since this is under YRO, I figured I'd ask: whose rights are being violated here? (I can't see any rights violations)
This seems more like a story about how evil Microsoft is. And evil they are, which is why I neither purchase nor support their software.
Re:YRO (Score:4, Insightful)
Don't you just love non-compete clauses? (Score:4, Insightful)
And as long as they mentioned SCO, I would love to see them driven into the ground for what they're doing.
Slackware (Score:2, Informative)
However, your point is well taken. Just replace "Slackware" with Debian.
This could be a good thing... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:This could be a good thing... (Score:5, Insightful)
The trouble is Who will do the suing?
IBM? Redhat? Knoppix??? certainly not Knoppix.
Lets face it, even though this is in NZ, it sets a very nasty precedent internationally.
And although IBM have been playing it cool, as they should, with the rabid SCO flinging mud everywhere the concerning thing is that some of that mud might stick.
Feature for feature, tech for tech and even on usability grounds Linux is beginning to really become a desktop option with mountains more flexibility than Windows - any flavour of windows.
MS have played very very dirty in the past, and it would not surprise me in the slightest if it's their intention to do so again, and this case is testing the waters. Anyone remember Stacker?
However this is a delicate time for Linux in the hearts and minds of the general uninformed masses.
For the criminally insane at SCO to get some of their allegations to stick is a significant blow in Linux Marketing in the short term.
It would help significantly if IBM made an big, loud, international, and official statement about the Damage SCO is doing to their market and reputation, and threaten serious legal action.
A response form IBM like this would strengthen, not damage the reputation of Linux and Open Source software.
Rusty, Tridge, Martin, have you fellows had smoco with some IBM lawyers recently?
Re:This could be a good thing... (Score:5, Insightful)
Huh.. why not some "Association for Open Source in New Zealand", like Linux Tag in Germany? After all, the Duplicator does mention the SCO case as a ground for refusal to honor a contract.
"Lets face it, even though this is in NZ, it sets a very nasty precedent internationally."
True, but when LinuxTag successfully asked SCO to shut up, and even got a penalty of 1000s of Marks if SCO spoke rotten things, did that not set an international precedent? In the US, the so called protests ended as a farce. Poland and Australia, I believe, have got restraint orders against SCO as well.
Let New Zealanders show which side they are on: The SCO-MS FUD GNUterrorists, or against. This is a good opportunity for them.
Keeping Track of SCO's Victims (Score:5, Interesting)
I think little by little, SCO's efforts to create FUD may inconvenience substantial numbers of people. It wouldn't be a bad idea for a website to be started, for keeping track of the myriad ways that SCO's threats of copyright infringement liability have caused tangible expense and inconvenience.
It would be a good knowledge base to have, and might come in handy for purposes of a potential class-action suit against SCO, if the company's claims of infringement are found by the courts to be without merit. In any case, this would be one way to give SCO's backers some FUD of their own.
Re:Keeping Track of SCO's Victims (Score:2)
I think it might be best to do it on a totally-provably licence compliant Windows system. Arrghhh, I can't believe I said that... Never mind. The idea being that SCO can't get it shut down for copyright or IP violations. Or pick some other OS that's absolutely not related to Unix.
Re:Keeping Track of SCO's Victims (Score:4, Interesting)
Ditto. Other strategies (MS is involved with these, apparently) include Gartner going round the world promoting the SCO FUD. People need to remember that GNU and Linux took a lot of daring, creativity, powerful people etc. If they can't look browbeaters in the eye, they probably don't need the free stuff.
Rather than keeping track of SCO and MS victims, a better approach, IMO would be to give wide coverage to the views of stalwarts like Linus, RMS, ESR etc. Groups like LinuxTag in Germany and others in Poland and Australia have done great pro-active work and have asked SCO to shut up.
Since GNU and Linux derive from international efforts, and benefit all nations as well, (unlike SCO-MS which benefit only the US, primarily), the true facts about SCO must be beamed across mainstream media throughout the world.
In fact, Slashdot could avoid devious SCO interviews, and focus on anti-FUD efforts. HP withdrew it's Linux PC notebook offerings in Thailand, and MS is offering XP and Office for $36!!
SCO's case is about contract dispute, but many in the media talk about IP violations, as if they knew what that meant. Let's all adopt a healthy Dirtier-than-SCO attitude - let's have a
Wuss! (Score:4, Interesting)
Besides, SCO has claimed that every single modern operating system (except Sun, they are quick to point out), is at similar risk. How could a CD company stay in business if they refused to duplicate anything McBride said was his?
Next /. headline in company's future. (Score:5, Funny)
Linux's image (Score:5, Interesting)
There's also the part of the contract with Microsoft. This company is obviously not going to risc their probably very important economic ties to Microsoft for a mere 500 cd copy job -- no sane business person would -- but yet again we see evidence that the strong arm tactic Microsoft has employed since the DOS days (anyone remember DR DOS?) is still very much a part of their modus operandi.
IP or Microsoft (Score:5, Informative)
They lose almost nothing, while they are sucking up to M$, possibly gaining much more with the obfuscated licensing. I assume M$ will gladly pay their losses, considering the press coverage this thing will get.
Re:IP or Microsoft (Score:2, Interesting)
Aren't you contradicting yourself? The SCO case haven't been tested yet and until it is, any action they take based upon the case is precautionary. So while the SCO case in itself can't force them to deny the job, they are denying it because there might the problems down the road. I'm guessing that there won't be, but hey, some people are more uncomfortable wi
The dumb company in question... (Score:2, Funny)
hehe
And SCO (Score:4, Informative)
This is of course total BS. If MS does somehow have a hand in this, maybe it's time to get SCO out of the way after all. The longer they stay around, even though their case against IBM is close to vapour, the longer MS can trick these companies into believing the FUD - they probably don't know any better, who can blame them?
My $0.02.
zLet them know how you feel ... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Let them know how you feel ... (Score:5, Insightful)
Let's act like grown-ups here and realise that although the company's attitude may be somewhat lacking, they are within their legal right to do what they're doing whether others like it or not.
Remember, they're not the only supplier in town and if they won't do the job, there will be others who will.
Mind you, as has been stated, it's rather nice of them to turn an otherwise unnoteworthy transaction into an item of important news. Sure beats paying for advertising and you've got to admire those who use smart (spam-free) marketing tactics!
Re:Let them know how you feel ... (Score:3, Insightful)
Legally true, but acting like "grown-ups" is clearly more than just letting laws trample all over you, as is becoming more and more evident every day. As an open-source, anarchic "sector", we have no great recourse to legal funding, so we need other channels to influence people to the same extent as those that do.
Dude, posting his cell? Thats cold. (Score:2)
Re:Dude, posting his cell? Thats cold. (Score:2)
Knights of Modern Royalty (Score:5, Interesting)
dominion over a parcel of land.
Microsoft granted this company so many parcels of foo, so long as they upheld Microsoft's honor. And on a larger scale, Isn't dominion what was promised to the RIAA, Media Cartels, others, in exchange for their "loyalty"?
Maybe I stretch things too far. But it seems the power of the common man has dwindled to nothing outside of a small space that's been allotted. Any attempts to reach beyond this space are met with resistance and punishment.
All these guys wanted to do was duplicate some cd's.
But that activity appears to be outside the domain Microsoft is willing to grant them. How have we gotten into the situation where we must beg persmission to do mundane tasks like this?
Is the large scale duplication of information getting to be a little too risque' for the peons? Gotta keep an eye on stuff like that now?
The box that makes up our collective free will is getting smaller and smaller as each cubic centimeter is parcelled off to the Knights of Modern Royalty.
Re:The Sheriff of Nottingham (Score:3, Informative)
I'm not sure whether the Normans had a rule about "kill one of us and we'll kill ten of you", but that's a rule that dominant agressors have used frequently. So Robin Hood acted in such a way that i
Now what... (Score:5, Insightful)
what i wanted to say is, companies like IBM, SUN, Oracle, Redhat, Suse and others are losing money, credability, business, and are instead gaining lots of headache, questions, bla bla bla...
Why the fuck dont they just group, put an end to it. They already spent billions in investments on Linux, espically IBM and Oracle(who supported Linux clustering), if they care for their business and investments, they should act, and FAST, before this thing really grows and starts to actually draw back customers who had linux on their considered solution list, knowing that Linux opened new business grounds for them, and they cant deny it, they owe linux exactly s much as linux owed them...
I need to keep quiet ... (Score:5, Funny)
boycotts? (Score:5, Interesting)
whilst i would have no doubt that MS are obviously a large part of their business, it is obvious that no business survives with just one good horse in their stable.
with a good enough word-of-mouth campaign it should be possible to inform local businesses and companies of the boycott, inform them of other options, and thus remove a chunk of their potential business.
500 cds may not hurt their purse strings, but 100 x 500 will.
do we forget just how much power we have?
Finally (Score:4, Insightful)
My few cents. (Score:3, Insightful)
a) The Open Source community used to be a nice one, the philosophy of it was valued high in the first couple of years but meanwhile the entire situation has changed. Companies are trying to protect their IP, other companies don't work fair with the Open Source company by not backporting their changes in the original sources and so on.
b) The audience changed totally, you need to deal with more and more complaining and ranting people every day. People that are always dis-satisfied regardless what you do. Even I as Programmer need to deal with these people. I spent my time writing the programms, fixing bugs, answering technical emails, pay for the Webspace, offer the software and yet you need to deal with dis-satisfied people all overwhere which leads into demotivation of doing something better.
c) Many people wandered off from Linux and Open Source by using alternative Systems (preferabely MacOSX) thus they have a working, aesthetical, nice, round and standardized desktop environment with all tested tools. They can get their work done and don't care for Linux and it's Open Source that much anymore as they initially did. A lot of people started to work a lot less on Open Source because they don't see the need to do this anymore because they get all the software with better quality offered on their alternative System.
Here an example: A lot of GNOME developer moved away working on MacOSX these days and don't look back, while they still help with various fixes, coding etc. they still do this as funjob, they don't see the need to work as hard to make a good Desktop because they have a Microsoft independant OS (MacOSX) which offers them everything and more than GNOME for example. Of course they also see the points written by me here with all the ranting people, no fair play of companies and the general demotivation.
Face it, we all like to be honoured for our work, we all like to hear 'thank you' from the people outside that we spent our time working our ass off on the tools we offer. But the reality is that we deal more with complaining people rather than people who said 'thank you'. We all like to earn some money with what we do. Look, we sit down the entire day, weeks, months working on the Tool, we pay for Webspace and more and we don't even get the money back for the Webspace we pay once per year.
Open Source is indeed a nice thing but the times has heavily changed, complaining users, demotivation, dirty play with companies, sueing of people who wrote Open Source applications like the freecraft person. A very nice game and now it's not available anymore because he got is ass sued off.
Think about it, is it really worth the trouble ? We should concentrate back to the old roots and try making some bucks with our work, getting the webspace paid, stop the insanity with open source. it's a good idea but the license is only a hype. Like everyone can fork the code and release his own version of the software which only ends in 20 derivates which each of them still doesn't do the work it was aimed for. Not to mention that we all are individual people who work for fame, for money for being someone in the community. You work on the software because you love it because you never think about someone comming up forking it and then one day you see a derivate of your work floating around in the community and you get heavily pissed off and stop working on it and feel disappointed and have thoughts in your head saying 'what did i do wrong, why did this person fork my software' and so on. Please don't understand me wrong, think back the time when emacs got forked to xemacs. Or think back when KDE Desktop got heavily trashed by RedHat. You are itching at the egos of people with this. It's really better to start thinking about new and better ways and search for an alternative work on an alternative System.
Microsoft never told them to not to do this! (Score:4, Interesting)
Roberts said the contract with Software Images did not contain anything that prevented Software Images working with the Open Source Society or pressing Linux CDs "or anything like that".
He said Software Images made their decision before talking to Microsoft "for their own reasons".
"It's very much a Coke/Pepsi situation. If you are an ad agency dealing with Pepsi you don't pick up business with Coke."
When the Herald pointed out that Open Source software was a competitor to Microsoft, Roberts said: "I guess so, but the NZ Open Source Society isn't."
[OT] A Coke and Pepsi situation? (Score:3, Informative)
Um... I work for an ad agency, and our company deals with both of the above mentioned companies. We work around the possible problems by having different teams work with the individual companies. (I think this is semi-public knowledge, but I'm posting AC anyhow, to be on the safe side.)
That said, the deal with Software Images is just a hiccup, lost business for them. I'm sure there is a long list of other companies that will duplicate for them without any trouble at all. Move on, nothing to see here.
Reliabile Duplication Services (Score:5, Interesting)
Data duplication is an important last step to any project that requires physical media for distribution. You need to know that your order is accepted and being handled and processed quickly, efficiently, and reliably. At Software Images, your data duplication order may be green-flagged by their expert account managers... only to be refused at a later date.
Your order may be refused because, on a "case by case basis", the data in question might be considered in competition with Microsoft. And as Microsoft continues to reach in to new sectors and attach new niches... who's to say if one is in direct competition or not? But you'll find out. After your order has been rejected and you are forced to scramble for another outsource provider.
Your order may also be refused if an industry competitor makes unfounded alligations as to owner of the intellectual property contained in your duplication order. No need to wait for a court ruling. No need for proof of a currently valid license. Your important job will be rejected, leaving your business high and dry.
In this tough economy, every business needs reliable outsource providers. They need to know that services will be there for that important job or rush order.
With Software Images, you won't know.
Software Images. They're not there for you. They're there for their major account - Microsoft.
Why not break into the RIAA storehouse? (Score:5, Funny)
An eye punctured with shards of flying CD, of course. Hillary can oversee the whole operation! But only for a minute...AHHH!
>;C MY EYES!
Heh (Score:3, Insightful)
So they're in bed with MS, that's why they don't want to promote Linux. The SCO FUD is just an excuse; they just don't want to upset MS.
Still, we all know what happens to companies that get in bed with MS. Eventually MS f**ks them.
Small-and-Flaccid™ been doing this for years... (Score:3, Interesting)
The salesperson was very pushy and asked "well what are you going to install on there?" and I of course responded "anything - SCO Unix (note: what irony, little did I know...), Linux, BSD...why?" Well, sadly, I was informed by the salesperson there that I "would not be receiving a hardware warranty if I did not order it with Windows."
Needless to say, I walked out shortly thereafter and later learned that this was a common practice at the time and at later points in time. The moral of the story is that anything that Microsoft might have its grubby little hands, in any form, may affect the average Joe in unimaginable ways, and many imaginable ones. Just like me, and just like the folks trying to legally dupe CDs.
I have a vision..... (Score:4, Funny)
Er, what's the name of that street in Redmond??
Re:I have a vision..... (Score:3, Interesting)
Ha! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Ha! (Score:3, Funny)
Non-compete: fuzzy is a good thing? (Score:4, Insightful)
Shouldn't legal contracts be clear? Or is eaving plenty of weasel-room a tactic by lawyers to leave room for the FUD to spread.
In this case bad publicity is good (Score:4, Insightful)
However, they'll need to be careful, dealing with Microsoft is not something I would envy - I met someone once who used to work with them, and he told me that ".. the only time M$ wouldn't piss all over you is if you were on fire."
Jolyon
Report them to the Commerce Commission (Score:5, Informative)
Raising Your Concerns by Contacting the Commission
Readers who are aware of behaviour that appears to breach the Commerce Act can forward information to the Commission. The Commission will consider this information and, if appropriate, initiate an investigation.
The Commission also carries out its own market monitoring and surveillance activities. An investigation that identifies a breach of the Commerce Act may lead to the Commission taking one of a range of actions, including prosecuting businesses in the High Court. Actions the Commission can take are outlined in the Commission Processes section of this publication.
To contact the Commission with information:
Telephone 0800 94 3600
Write to:
Contact Centre
Commerce Commission
P O Box 2351
Wellington
Email: contact@comcom.govt.nz
http://www.comcom.govt.nz/publications/pdfs/ant
Put Software Images out of business.
Screw the CD duplicators (Score:3, Interesting)
-They pop open IE in Windows and go to the "Install Linux" web site and start the procedure.
-It brings down a self extracting tar.bz2 archive which expands to %TEMP%.
-It also creates another file that stores the actual location of %TEMP% in Windowspeak.
-It then executes a Windows based binary that will format a floppy, a bootable ZIP or Jaz disk or burn a CD-R/RW as bootable medium.
-It also unpacks file that contains an ext2 filesystem to %TEMP%
When the floppy, Zip, Jaz or CD-R/RW are complete, the user is instructed to reboot with the new boot disk. When they do, they are first presented with a partition manager that allows them to resize their Windows partition and set up space for the Linux installation. Then the file with the ext2 filesystem is mounted and the real GUI based installation begins pulling the distro from the internet. (Network configuration, X with framebuffer support, etc... has already completed in the background)
Obviously this would only be suitable for people with high bandwidth, but that could be solved too... The installer should allow the user to pause the installation and shutdown so that they can do it in phases. When they reboot, the installer would see the partially installed system and allow them to continue from where the log indicates that the install left off.
CDs need to go away as an installation medium.
Microsoft's violations (Score:4, Interesting)
EMAIL the CEO (Score:3, Interesting)
Cc: logan.jay@softwareimages.com, cristian.giurgiu@softwareimages.com,
rudy.clavel@softwareimages.com
Subject: Refusal of Linux CD Order
Dear Chris,
I have just read with dismay the Slashdot and NZ Herald stories regarding your refusal to copy CD images of the Linux operating system for use at an
upcoming Linux Installfest to be held in New Zealand.
I understand that this refusal is due to a deal that your organisation has with Microsoft Corporation, your unfounded protestations of copyright infringement concerning Linux not withstanding.
I believe that you are fully within your rights to make such a deal, sordid though I believe it to be, and to refuse work orders from your customers as you see fit.
Like many others however, I dislike your decision and chose not to use your services or buy your products until such time as your decision is reversed and you make adequate restitution to the Open Source community.
Further, I am in the process of contacting every person I can think of who might be in a position to do business with you to explain my decision, in the hope that they also may chose to do business with one of your competitors.
I hope that the loss of business that results, along with the terrible press you have been getting encourages you to rethink your decision.
Please withold any platitudes regarding the SCO Group suit against IBM, they are neither relevant to your decision or in themselves have any basis in fact.
Regards,
Re:weird.. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Its not about the SCO lawsuit ! (Score:5, Informative)
Yesterday Software Images declined to do the job, citing intellectual property concerns.
When questioned by the Herald on Friday, Software Images chief executive Allan Morton said his company's wariness of Linux was due to legal action between SCO and Linux over intellectual property issues.