Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
Summary: David Gewirtz asks whether the latest Wikileaks data dump could bring on World War III, because it shows (again) how what we say publicly isn't what we know privately.Savio Rodrigues thinks Microsoft's role in the Novell acquisition could do it great harm, because it shows the company (again) saying one thing about Linux while doing another.
David Gewirtz asks whether the latest Wikileaks data dump could bring on World War III, because it shows (again) how what we say publicly isn't what we know privately.
Savio Rodrigues thinks Microsoft's role in the Novell acquisition could do it great harm, because it shows the company (again) saying one thing about Linux while doing another.
What these stories share is the idea that there is comfort in lies.
There is some comfort in white lies. The famous Geico ad where Abraham Lincoln tells his wife the dress does indeed make her look a little fat is one example.
But what about big business lies, like the one about Microsoft caring about Linux and open source on behalf of customers (as opposed to profit)? We know it's not true.
Whether we think it acts defensively regarding Linux (as I do) or offensively (as some talkbacks will say below) everyone knows Linux is a threat to Microsoft and that the company has to respond.
Why we should pretend to one thing when everyone knows we are doing the opposite has always struck me as strange. Open source recognizes this instinctively.
Open source cuts through the lies by simply revealing the code. Everything beyond that is detail. Fun to write about, and argue about, but in the end detail.
Whether the revelations of Wikileaks causes World War III or not, the Internet will continue to offer the source code of business and political life.
For this I am thankful.
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Talkback
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
I cannot agree with this. Microsoft went to great lengths to work with the open source community. In fact they even set up an open source lab with open invitations to the open source community to see how they were going to interoperate. That is when open source (mostly linux) turned its back on Microsoft by more or less making fun of them (to put it nicely). The only open source company that took up Microsoft on this offer was the Mozilla foundation.
You can defend linux all you want but they are not all happy and blissful. A few linux distros will not share the entire source with you, they have proprietary drivers and other code in there.
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
What few Linux distro?s will not share the entire source?
What proprietary drivers and what code are you talking about?
Provide some substance to what you claim.
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
"Substance" and "Loverock Davidson" are mutually exclusive - he's a boring old troll that inhabits zdnet, one day he'll get a life
catch you up real quick
..the [i]only[/i] substance LD'd be able to provide is the 'Class A' stuff he's most likely using.
... here ends LD 101 ;)
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
He also makes the mistake of equating open source with Linux. There is more open source available in Windows than all the other OSs combined and it's there due to the superb MS development tools and the fact you can do what you like with code written in Windows.
No matter how you might like it Dana, Windows has the most open source.
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
WARNING: do not be drinking coffee when you start to read anything by Loverock!
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
That happened because MS initial open-source license attempted to get people to contribute to projects that were CALLED open-source but could be taken and turned into proprietary products. Under the original license they could have even taken source code that you (for instance) contributed and prevent you from using it elsewhere.
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
Why?
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
The truth or falsehood of anything rests entirely upon the listener's comprehension, belief system, and level of gullibility.
what a load of ..
[i]"..The ulterior motive behind every human utterance - whether spoken or written - is the manipulation of the behavior of others. "[/i]
WTF? You have to be an apologist for Fascism or National Socialism .. i mean, what a load of absolute crap. So tell me wise @$$ .. when Germany invaded France, Poland and most of Western Europe, was that all only some mental aberration? So you would have us believe (by your 'fuzzy logic') that maybe the deeds of the Third Reich were some 'imaginary concoction of the collective, global psyche'???
[i]"...The truth or falsehood of anything rests entirely upon the listener's comprehension, belief system, and level of gullibility. "[/i]
There are - despite your deluded perception - truths and lies that are as real, and alive, as you or me. It almost goes without saying, politicians, used-car salesmen, lawyers and the occasional, whacked out Sociology dropout (..much like yourself) would all have us believe otherwise.
There is no doubt that Good and Evil exist in the World - and also a force of nature known as [i]Karma[/i] .. and no amount of denial, lying, deception or subterfuge can hide us from their often chaotic influences. It is also important you know that Evil, Good and Karma are not "relative" as you would also have others believe - they are real, undeniable, inescapable forces that shape the Universe.
To that end, and in returning to the blog subject at hand, i will have to assume your diatribe was as an aside to the subject of [i]Wikileaks[/i]. So let's be perfectly clear here: Wikileaks is, for all intents and purposes, merely a messenger service (..or should that be harbinger).
There are many that obviously (..and incredibly) believe that *somehow* the disclosure of sinister activities by governments *is less of an issue* than having their (i.e certain governments) dirty laundry aired (via Wikileaks) - amongst other material. To shoot messengers will, as always, achieve little - if nothing at all. There are many principles at play in these matters that are no different to what Watergate involved. And therein is *the point* .. the whole crux of the problem ...
.. and your point was?? .. I mean, other than babbling on meaninglessly??
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
RE: Microsoft, Wikileaks and the nobility of lies
Open source cares about software, plain and simple. It's a way of collaborating. As much as Microsoft and a vocal minority would love to have Linux, or BSD or whatever be a Microsoft competitor...very few to no one who works on the code cares.
In the end, it's all about producing useful software whether that be Windows, Linux, or whatever. Get a life, people.
why stop at microsoft
Stop using Microsoft software
What can you do about it? If you support Microsoft, keep your wallet nearby and use their software and be controlled by them on how to use your computer. If you do not support their actions, stop using their software and switch to GNU/Linux. I did, and I've helped others do the same, and I also read stories daily on how others have too.
Microsoft is in decline.
get a life and stop gossiping, your bunch of girls.
There are infinite Opensource tools out there.
from programming languages, to web servers, to databases, proxies, firewalls, etc, etc..
real hacker/developer/professional will not even be bothering reading gossips of microsoft. or even care about MS at all.
I just have to write this cause all comments are so lame.
get a life and stop gossiping, your bunch of girls.