http://m.boingboing.net/2010/03/29/microsoft-trying-to.html
Time for all you Open-Source fans to get writing.
And there's no sarcasm there, I don't like this one bit. (Byte?).

You seem detirmined to post a link to every boing boing headline this week Count. First religion, now microsoft someone might draw the conclusion you're trying to push this forum's buttons.

large corporation in trying to make money shocker!! I would be more surprised if they didn't try tbh, whether they succeed or not is a different matter

just like visa have managed to tie up all payments for londen 2012 stuff must be done via them

sigh

I have no problem paying for software if there is genuine competition. Programmers have to feed their kids too!

I think the problem is companies jealously protecting proprietary API standards as a way of protecting their business. In a commercial world so it's perfectly understandable, but not in the end-users' interests because it prevents progression towards interoperability and proper competition for COTS.

Open source (GPL/LGPL/Apache/etc) is a different topic from open standards. It's a great model for rapidly improving software by a community effort, and also helps with ESCROW issues. But it's not the same as unlimited usage zero cost licensing – GPL comes with legal "strings attached" which must be considered before they can be incorporated into other software.

IMO, the industry is much healthier than it used to be and as long as Govt keep an eye on mega-corps and curb the excesses of MS, Sun, IBM, Apple and Google things will work out OK.

Programmers have to feed their kids too!

Linux is for people who don't engage in sex, it's their alternative contribution to posterity…