MS heads for H.C.

[Brian Densmore]

*disclaimer* sorry about the format, previous response came in Html
 and I use text so nice comment ">" characters may be missing.

<rant back>

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Garrett Goebel
>
> Brian Kelsay wrote: 
>> 
>> "According to ZDNet, Microsoft may be feeling threatened 
...
>> 
>> http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103_2-5219282.html 
>> 
>> I just laughed myself out of the chair. 
>
> <rant> 
> Are you sure your "Anything-but-Microsoft" brand loyalty
> isn't clouding your judgement? 
Probably.

> I've used Windows from 3.0 through to 2K3. The Windows 
> OS's have been getting slowly and steadily better. 
True.

> The move with Longhorn to managed code, CLR, DRM, 
> focus on security, resolution independent display, 
> etc... will cut some of this baggage and help Microsoft
I'm from Missouri, you're going to have to show me to make
me a believer.

> Microsoft employs a lot of smart hardworking people. 
True

> They market themselves effectively and communicate efficiently
> with businesses. 
Really? Since when?

> No one has ever accused Microsoft of failing to test the 
> legal limits of competitive practices. 
That's not the problem. The problem is the fact they seem to 
have a get out of jail free card. Any small business or individual 
that used the same tactics would be in jail now doing 10-20!

> Take the Xbox as an example ...
No thanks.

> Microsoft has displaced Nintendo ...
Nintendo was already dying anyway.

> It's more a question of whether or not they were listening
> to the customer, and whether or not it'll contribute to the
> bottom line. Neither of which are much of a problem for open
> source.
Maybe I'm reading this wrong but, many in the open source world
listen to the customer.

> Except where open source faces a problem that doesn't scratch
> enough of an itch to reach critical mass. Things like centralized
> machine configuration, inventory, and security management...
Hunh? one word /. 
Read it once in a while. Or cnet news. Or Newsforge. Centralized
machine configuration is built into Linux and there are several
tools that help with this too. In addition to corporate sponsors
also contributing to this field. Security management is made much
easier and more effective in 2.6. Also CA is contributing to this
area too, in addition to the NSA.

Inventory :
http://freshmeat.net/search/?q=inventory&section=projects&Go.x=0&Go.y=0
68 projects found. 

> The HPC problem is actually a simpler problem than the desktop:
Depending on you OS architecture design. Not going to be as easy
in Windows land as in *nix.

> The fact that Linux is making in-roads via HPC is probably more
Because it is better suited to the application? You'll also note
that Linux is now a more popular solution than Big Iron Supercomputers.
That, at least to me, speaks mountains to the quality of Linux in 
this field. M$ would have a long ways to go to reach this kind of system.

> The reality is that
> Microsoft dominates the harder problem: the desktop. Check out 
> google.com/zeitgeist.html. 92% of all google queries come from 
> Windows machines. And seeing as how Microsoft has been mopping the
> floor with desktop competitors for years...
Ummm ... yeah? And the point is? Linux desktops now outnumber Apple
and that number is likely to double in the next year? So here you 
have this upstart OS that is set to have double digit, or
better, growth in the next year in desktops and already has captured
more desktop share than any other OS has since the beginning? Sounds
to me like Linux is a viable competitor in the Desktop market. And
that M$ is not mopping the floor with Linux on the desktop.

> But bringing it back to HPC...
> Microsoft hasn't gone after HPC because they expect it to fatten
> their margins. If anything, it'll be a loss leader. They're trying
> to crush the competition before it can rally any more partisans to its cause.
Close but not quite. M$ just want to eliminate Linux. This will be just one prong
of their full-scale war against Linux. I expect to see battle line all
over the map. Anywhere Linux is M$ is going to go. They will attack them with
lawsuits on copyright and patent and anything else they can. Expect someone
to come out with the big DMCA hammer against Linux or it's supporters eventually.

</my rant back>

Brian