Bill Gates’ Disdain for Open Source Even in Retirement
,----[ Quote ]
| Without compromise there is no progress. In the software world Gates was the
| Godfather he didn’t need to work with anyone until the Justice Department
| ruled against him. Even as the richest man in the world he’s got to work
| together with researchers and others if he wants to be successful. Too bad he
| didn’t learn anything about open source’s collaborative values it might have
| served him well as he tries to help cure disease and improve world health
| standards.
|
| I have to wonder if he will be able to make the transition from dictator to
| do-gooder or if he will just write checks?
`----
http://socializedsoftware.com/2008/04/24/bill-gates-disdain-for-open-source-even-in-retirement/
Three myths Microsoft tells Russia
,----[ Quote ]
| I figured it would be good to note (and then bury) three myths that I heard
| perpetuated by Microsoft at the Interop Moscow conference. They've been
| largely discredited elsewhere, but it appears Microsoft prefers to keep
| regurgitating the party line until abject ridicule sets in.
|
| 1. Myth: Open source can't innovate. Coming from Microsoft...
|
| [...]
|
| 2. Open source doesn't interoperate with other software well, while Microsoft
| does. Wow! The cheekiness of that one was breathtaking.
|
| [...]
|
| 3. There is no money in open source. It's funny to hear Microsoft use this
| one, as if its customers are desperate to hear it talk about how much money
| it makes at their expense.
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft has gotten better in its open-source rhetoric. Now it just needs to
| make sure its far-flung outposts get the message, too.
`----
http://www.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9928657-16.html
Yesterday:
Open Source Government: Several notes on the Russian Free Software Development
Concept
,----[ Quote ]
| Russian Ministry on Information Technology and Communications published
| recently a document entitled Concept of development and usage of Free
| Software in the Russian Federation (Russian). It is a 29-page text, which is
| by far the most detailed roadmap of government involvement in Free Software.
| The legal status of this document is not very strong: in the recent Russian
| governmental tradition a ‘concept’ is a kind of a detailed policy
| declaration, which may not be fully observed or may even be rejected or
| forgotten after a short period of time. However, it may serve as groundwork
| for future projects and more specific policy measures. Thus, even though a
| concept document does not create anything by itself, its availability is
| necessary for creation of good things.
`----
http://robertogaloppini.net/2008/04/24/open-source-government-several-notes-on-the-russian-free-software-development-concept/
Bill Gates, which we disagree with
,----[ Quote ]
| As but one more piece of testamentary evidence that the old guard at
| Microsoft needs to be shown the door, Bill Gates has demonstrated
| conclusively that he has exactly zero understanding of open source, or at
| least zero desire to have an intelligent discussion about it.
|
| [...]
|
| Open source insists upon leaving software open to further improvement. And if
| you were to read the European Union's report on open source, you'd see that
| it's actually a massive opportunity for improved GDP growth.
|
| What open source does is ensure that customers share equally in the economic
| benefits of software, rather than having profits hoarded by one company
| (i.e., Microsoft's model). The GPL does this perhaps best of all. In another
| age, Mr. Gates would have found the GPL to be a dear friend to his better
| capitalist instincts. It's actually a close cousin to a proprietary license
| in some ways, except that it protects through openness, not closed source.
`----
http://www.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9927661-16.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheOpenRoad
Bill Gates Claims Open Source Means Nobody Can Improve Software
,----[ Quote ]
| His complaint is that open source creates a license "so that nobody can ever
| improve the software." It's hard to figure out how to respond to that
| statement since it's the exact opposite of how open source software works.
| The exact point is that anyone can improve the software. It's proprietary
| software like Microsoft's that's limited such that only Microsoft is allowed
| to improve it. It's no secret that Gates isn't a fan of open source software,
| but it still seems odd that he would make a statement that is so obviously
| false, both in theory and in practice. Perhaps old FUD habits die hard, but
| one would hope that as he enters "retirement" he'll have a more open mind on
| such things.
`----
http://techdirt.com/articles/20080423/004519925.shtml
Bill Gates on Pharmaceuticals: The System Isn't Working
,----[ Quote ]
| One thing Gates won't be leaving behind in retirement is his distaste for
| open source software. After one scientist asked if Gates would consider open
| source uses in health research, the man who built his $280 billion company on
| the power of intellectual property bristled.
|
| "There's free software and then there’s open source," he suggested, noting
| that Microsoft gives away its software in developing countries. With open
| source software, on the other hand, "there is this thing called the GPL,
| which we disagree with."
|
| Open source, he said, creates a license "so that nobody can ever improve the
| software," he claimed, bemoaning the squandered opportunity for jobs and
| business. (Yes, Linux fans, we're aware of how distorted this definition is.)
| He went back to the analogy of pharmaceuticals: "I think if you invent drugs,
| you should be able to charge for them," he said, adding with a shrug: "That
| may seem radical."
`----
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/04/bill-gates-what.html
Recent:
Linux Ubuntu PCs set for sale in Russia
,----[ Quote ]
| Linux Ubuntu installation on PCs sold by Excimer and NT Computer is to be
| launched within the nearest month. Consequently, Ubuntu sales in Russia might
| reach 300 thousand units. Ubuntu 8.04 released on April 24, 2008 is more
| likely to be preinstalled.
`----
http://eng.cnews.ru/news/top/indexEn.shtml?2008/04/23/298333
Linux being launched at schools
,----[ Quote ]
| Besides the operating system the package is to comprise some freely
| distributed programs, close to MS Office by their functionality, which are to
| be used on computers with the following characteristics: 233 MHz and 128MB
| DDR.
`----
http://eng.cnews.ru/news/top/indexEn.shtml?2007/10/25/272200
Russian Postal Service Wears Red Hat
,----[ Quote ]
| Russian Post and American company Red Hat signed the Protocol of intentions
| on IT development based on open freeware earlier this month. Andrey Pogodin,
| Deputy Director General of FSUE Russian Post and Jim Whitehurst, President of
| Red Hat signed the document within the framework of meeting. The parties
| agreed to join efforts to implement operating system Linux and other software
| products with open code in Russian Post’s IT-structure.
`----
http://www.hellmail.co.uk/postalnews/templates/postal_global_news.asp?articleid=402&zoneid=11
IBM to offer Linux machines
,----[ Quote ]
| The machines, it was announced, will come with Red Hat's Linux distro, and
| will come pre-loaded with software from IBM, including its Lotus Symphony
| suite.
`----
http://www.pcretailmag.com/news/29500/IBM-to-offer-Linux-machines
OpenReferent - a New Open Source Challenge to Microsoft Desktop Software
,----[ Quote ]
| Mr Pogodin, Deputy General Director of Post of Russia, said: "Post of Russia,
| which has 42,000 post offices through out the country, can significantly
| lower the cost of ownership of the Information System." Post of Russia is one
| of the first customers that signed up to evaluate themove from Microsoft
| based desktops to OpenReferent solution.
|
| [...]
|
| Open Referent is based on the recently announced IBM Lotus Open Collaboration
| Client Solution with Red Hat.
|
| Business partners classified as Red Hat Advanced Business Partners and
| Lotus-authorized IBM Business Partners may sell the Red Hat and IBM Lotus
| products globally with a Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscription, and may
| additionally offer a six-month Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop trial.
`----
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/04/prweb823104.htm
Open Source Market: FOSS getting hot in Russia
,----[ Quote ]
| Recent interest towards FOSS from the Russian government has boosted
| commercial activity in this field. No longer than a year ago there was no
| single large company that would say it is capable of doing FOSS system
| integration projects. Now there are three, and the number will probably grow.
|
| Nobody is particularly sure about how to do business with FOSS, but it is
| already evident that it can be done somehow. That is why the larger ones are
| jumping on the bandwagon simply not to be late.
`----
http://robertogaloppini.net/2008/03/12/open-source-market-foss-getting-hot-in-russia/
Related:
2010: Russia's open software market to grow 4-fold
,----[ Quote ]
| Analysts note that Linux vendors are traditionally present on the mobile
| device market. According to forecasts the OS might become the leader in
| the segment accounting for 40% of it by 2010. ?Currently the share of
| mobile devices with Linux OS is not big in Russia as compared to other
| countries, such as China, for instance. However, the producer's policy,
| Nokia in particular testifies to the fact the situation is changing
| for the better", Ms. Karaeva concluded.
`----
http://eng.cnews.ru/news/top/indexEn.shtml?2007/05/15/249978
Mandriva Linux selected as "Product of the Year 2007" at the Russian Softool
event
,----[ Quote ]
| Mandriva has been selected as 'Product of the Year 2007' in the Linux
| category at the Softool exhibition in Moscow. The 'Product of the Year 2007'
| competition was held by the department of information technologies and
| computing systems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Federal Agency of
| Information Technologies, the publishing house SK Press, and IT-expo.
|
| [...]
|
| Mandriva Linux will also soon be certified by the Federal Service of Export
| and Technical Control, allowing public sector agencies and organizations
| dealing with confidential information to use Mandriva Linux.
`----
http://www.linuxlookup.com/2007/nov/19/mandriva_linux_selected_as_product_of_the_year_2007_at_the_russian_softool_event
Russian public agencies choose Mandriva
,----[ Quote ]
| Mandriva development is carried out jointly by Mandriva's offices in Russia,
| France and Brazil. The Mandriva Linux OS is thus considered a national OS for
| Russia. The decision of FSTEC of the Russian Federation (RF) implied that
| Russian public agencies will be authorised to use the Mandriva Linux OS on
| PCs running confidential information.
`----
http://www.mandriva.com/company/press/pr/russian_public_agencies_choose_mandriva
Russian Government Will Migrate to OpenSource
,----[ Quote ]
| Russia decided to follow after EU countries, where opensource
| solutions are more spread then in Russia. Currently, some Russian
| companies can offer their own Desktop Linux OS (the major companies
| are ASPLinux, ALTLinux, Linux-Online and LinuxCenter).
`----
http://danays.blogspot.com/2006/12/russian-government-will-migrate-to.html
Russian schools abandon Windows after piracy scare
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft says that the incident has nothing to do with them, but it
| appears that Russian schools in the area are so scared about being shipped
| off to a Siberian Gulag, that they are buying Linux gear instead.
|
| [..]
|
| According to Karpushin, schools would start using freely distributed
| software like the Linux OS, Russky office and Open office desktop apps,
| Ekho Moskvi reports.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37460
Linux Education in America: Inspiration from Russia?
,----[ Quote ]
| The reason that the Russian announcement is funny boils down to the
| perception over the years that Russia equates to totalitarianism, whilst here
| in America we're all about Freedom and innovation. Yet our educational
| system -- the very underpinnings of how we're growing out future
| technological talent, is based upon the inversion of what one would expect
| given the respective reputations of both countries.
`----
http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/93171/index.html
Russia is latest country to move towards OpenDocument format and open standards
,----[ Quote ]
| The stated rationale for this legislation is that “open standards will
| contribute to an increased number of bidders for government contracts and
| will increase opportunities for Russian software developers... [and] the
| problem of interoperability will be addressed as will the ability to access
| information into the future.”
`----
http://www.itrportal.com/absolutenm/templates/article-docsoft.aspx?articleid=4410&zoneid=57
Russian Linux (ALTLinux) to be installed in every school in Russia
,----[ Quote ]
| Russian OS is to be installed on every school computer in Russia by 2009.
| Furthermore, every pupil will get the opportunity to operate the applied
| software produced in Russia, Leonid Reiman, acting Minister of Communication
| stated at a press conference. According to Mr. Reiman, that might
| significantly reduce Russian dependence on foreign software.
`----
http://eng.cnews.ru/news/top/indexEn.shtml?2007%2F09%2F14%2F266177
Linux being launched at schools
,----[ Quote ]
| Besides the operating system the package is to comprise some freely
| distributed programs, close to MS Office by their functionality, which are to
| be used on computers with the following characteristics: 233 MHz and 128MB
| DDR.
`----
http://eng.cnews.ru/news/top/indexEn.shtml?2007/10/25/272200
|
|