Re: [LUG] M$ Threatens To Sue Asia-For Running Linux!

[Sadie Brinham <barmy_fungy_fips@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Julian Hall wrote:
> Sadie Brinham wrote:
>
> > http://reuters.com/audi/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=KPBNIU4SC4Z4SCRBAEKSFFA?type=technologyNews&storyID=6852759 
>
>
> Quoting the article:
>
> Ballmer said the security fears some governments had about using 
> Microsoft software were overblown.
>
> "We think our software is far more secure than open-source software. It 
> is more secure because we stand behind it, we fixed it, because we built 
> it. Nobody ever knows who built open-source software," he said.
>
> -------------
>
> Let's examine these statements:
>
> "We think"... presumably "we" also think the world is flat, which is 
> equally fanciful :)  Saying Windows is more secure than Open Source 
> software is, in my opinion, akin to saying a chihuahua is a better guard 
> dog than a Doberman.  The former may have a chance of tripping up a 
> thief, but that's about all the hope it's got.
>
> As for "we built it so we can fix it", that's only because they know 
> where they put the bugs in the first place!
>
> "Nobody ever knows who built open-source software." Gooodddd.... if 
> there is no defined target, no hacker or other unscrupulous group can 
> bring the system to it's knees with an attack! :)  Whereas the nice big 
> buildings in Seattle, Reading etc are all too obvious targets for those 
> who wish Microsoft harm.  One concerted DDOS and Seattle goes belly-up.. 
> so where exactly would one target a DDOS to bring Linux down?  There 
> *is* no such target.
>
> Evidently Mr Ballmer is forgetting the central concept that ArpaNet grew 
> from, that being that dissemination is far better than a central nexus 
> (which for any of you who play Warhammer will know obeys the "large 
> target" rules :)).
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Julian


Re:"Nobody ever know who built open source software"-a truly lame
argument if they mean to imply that some geekazoid who wrote a piece of 
code is going to demand recompense in ten years time.

Firstly,M$ is probably the only company which uses the same old same 
old,whereas Linux evolves-meaning noone is likely to step forth 
screeching:"I wrote that!" after years of honing and modification.
Secondly,open source software writers agree to the terms of 
re-distribution,so they wouldn't have a leg to stand on....

No,I got the faint suggestion that old M$ is going to lay claim to the 
"unspecified patents"...

Sadie


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