Paying money to a powerful organisation of gentlemen in expensive suits to prevent repercussions which could harm your business?

Sounds distincly Sicillian to me...

The payment of money to persuade people to go away is a long established Old English principle. I have forgotten his name, Ethelred I think, but no matter, it was called the Dane Geld and was money paid to the Danes ro persuade them to stop looting, pillaging and raping their way across England some time before William the Conqueror got lucky with a pointing device.

I understand something similar was tried in the 1930s by an English government attempting to persuade someone else to stop pillaging and raping. That didnt work out too good either.

Appeasement of an aggressor does not work, never has worked and is ulikely to ever work.

So, behold all you spineless CEOs, do the decent thing and resign. The cowardly path you have chosen is doomed to failure. The bully will be back for more, as always. Do you sleep any better, or isntead of feeling threated, do you just lie awake now wondering what the next piece will be.

Call yourselves leaders, nothing but a bunch of chicken shit cowards who deserve NOTHING.

Congratulations to Mark Shuttleworth and Ubuntu, a true leader of men. I wish you every success !

Well,

Its time for someone to make a stand agsainst MS from the free software world.

Im prepared to support Matrk in the way it counts, when MS decide to say what patents Linux has infringed.

Im prepared to put my money where my mouth is to support Mark against the evil empire.

Who else cares enough about Linux to do the same?

and you will see Shuttleworth is not against doing a deal with MS he just wants more definition of the alleged patent infringements. As this issue grows I expect we will see more open source companies dealing with MS but as patent issues are identified (one at a time I'm guessing) the price for protection will go up. It could be that Ubuntu won't be able to afford the price when MS really sounds the war drums.

... Or maybe this is the same tactic microsoft has used time and time again previously. It's nothing but empty threats, and they know it.

No free software project could ever afford to license any "IP"; you may be getting confused between the ubuntu foundation and the conical business.

Besides as mark knows if ever these patents where known the FOSS world would code around them so fast keyboards would melt. IBM with the help of Groklaw would litigate on prior art and nail them all.

If Microsoft really wants to take on the world that's it's choice. but don't expect to win.

As the Danes were on the receiving end of the Monetary Transfer, this would make extortion a Danish thing, not an English one. Personally, I see it as the US-American attitude of "Roll over and sign this little contract please... or else <unspecified damages>".

Furter below, we read

"It could be that Ubuntu won't be able to afford the price when MS really sounds the war drums."

I laugh. Steve B. has been making grunting noises since at least 2004 (if one discounts the SCO flap). It's time he laid an egg or two:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/18/ballmer_linux_lawsuits/

Then what is going to happen...

Oh, I forgot:

> I understand something similar was tried in the 1930s by an English government attempting to persuade someone else to stop pillaging and raping. That didnt work out too good either.

Bashing Chamberlain in unfortunate ignorance of the facts is of course "très à la mode", especially in US Congress. Still, consider: appeasement had strong popular support at the time, except, understandably, among Communists, as no-one wanted to see "War In Europe II". It was also a sound strategic choice (Picture: "Hey Hitler, I won't appease you! You can 0wnzor me forthwith with the aid of your Axis Colleagues" ... "My pleasure").

Here:

http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/themes/95/95646.html

and maybe here:

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/lofiversion/index.php/t4838.html

That's why open source is ultimately doomed to be a toy of techies and mom and pop businesses. These "projects" really can't afford to do business (i.e. fight IP battles) and seeing as how MS market share and revenues keep growing and the open source groups depend on the "goodwill" of the world at large it looks pretty bleak. When MS does release IP information it will be devastating to the open source community. They just don't have the business tools to defend against an onslaught by any large business.

I too would like a unicorn and a giant butterfly to ride around on but the world of business just doesn't support "free stuff"...

.. and so few virgins to sacrific in appeasement.

In the age of resource conservation, you have to wonder why the US don't use their resources more wisely; Iraq needs a dictator and Ballmer really just wants his own country. It would solve so many problems; ruthless "lore" and order, trade controls on Ballmer-ware, a whole place where Microsoft fanboys could move to and live in .. like Celebration (the 88% white Disney Suburb) - the country would be full of viruses with major infrastructure updates at least once per month (followed by the corresponding monthly crime spree), but noone would care - they'd all be rich like clotted cream and high on EULAs ...

Nonsense. You need to update your references. That activity may have been popular in the last century, but since the start of the current one, Americans have been busy bashing the French. Besides, most Americans probably don't even know who this Chamberlain chap is.

It would also be time for Microsoft to update its references. SCO has tried and failed to dent Free Software's reputation and integrity - with help from Microsoft. It's no use for Ballmer to go it alone now, he won't do any better for all the reasons already invoked above.

No, it would be better for MS to port DirectX to Linux - without opening the librairies if it wants to. Now THAT would be a bold move !

Sure M$, drive it underground, that'll make it uncool...

Microsoft are like the little dutch boy with his finger in a dyke only this time its a tsunami

Microsoft are asking these companies to pay money so they don't get hit (dragged through expensive lawsuits, even if they have no basis)

This is a protection racket.

Since this now involves several companies, isn't this a class action suit?

Where's Webster Phreaky? 14 comments and nothing from Webster wildly typing randomly capitalised pro-M$ vitriol.

Come on Webster, someone looked sideways at Microsoft - slay them, slay them now before Bill Gates loses a few dollars of revenue. Start swearing for God's sake, someone might have thought Apple were OK. (Apple are the same as Linux, right?)

And where are you getting your information from? With the advent of Windows Vista, Microsoft's market sharing is dropping and as linux becomes more and more useable, it is only a matter of time before makers of propieraty software (can we say, games, anyone?) go back to releasing programs on both platforms.

Once we get there, we have effectively established the fall of an empire, Microsoft will only be able to keep up by producing functional , well built and innovative code. They might be able to do it, but it'll take a lot of effort on their side.

whats moo-ah mooh-ah? - i thought is was some witch-doctors hex..

do you mean Mwa Mwa, the famous luvvies greeting call?

Come on guys, what is it about the mention of linux that lowers the literacy rate to something sub aquatic. Like maybe algae. Where do we start.

The british in the thirties with Nordenfeldt's "Deepen the Depression" world tour of Commonwealth countries.

No, maybe the collusion between Germany and England to rid europe of the pesky remains of the austro-hungarian empire (see AJP Taylor for the definative descriptrion of this reprehensible business).

Linux - good thing David Tannembaum can't be bothered to dismantle that little snot who made such a big deal out of (the prior art) of Minix.

Do any of these rockpool dweelers ever wonder why MS products rock. Probably not, I don't think their comprehension stretches to self consciousness.

ah well guys, don't give up the good work but please stop this US style evangalism.

And relax....