On Jan 28, 10:40 pm, RonB <ronb02noS...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Why do they spend so much of their time attacking Linux, a product they
> *say* is going nowhere? Would a reputable scientist spend every waking hour
> debunking the claims of a flat Earther?
Linux market share on the desktop is pretty small in the US and
Europe, the numbers by themselves don't justify it. Let's say
Microsoft is paranoid, and they don't like anyone saying anything bad
about them (hence all the attacks on Roy). Of course Linux is much
bigger in server space, and is a real competitor there. And on the
desktop, Linux is a threat for what it may become. It has also cost
MS money in various ways, for example, it delayed the retirement Win
98, out of fear that people would switch to Linux.
We know from the Halloween documents that Microsoft has seen Linux as
a major threat for at least 10 years. In that time, Microsoft has
taken major steps to defeat Linux, including proxy lawsuits (SCO), get
the "facts" campaigns, astroturfing campaigns, and threats of lawsuits
over supposed patent violations. No one can say how much this has
held up adoption of FOSS, but in my opinion the attacks have been
effective to some degree.
Microsoft's major sources of revenue are Windows (the OS) and Office.
Both are potentially threated by FOSS. Fending off these threats
(lock-in, format wars, etc) is now a major preoccupation with
Microsoft. Microsoft has been trying to diversify into consumer
electronics space, without a lot of success. Apple has been running
circles around them there. So Windows (now Vista) + Office is still
it.
The trolls here on cola serve the interests of Microsoft. That seems
to be their main purpose in being here. Some of them clearly
collaborate on their attacks, using common themes and talking points,
reinforcing one another in posts, etc. Of course flatfish comes in
1,000 different pseudonyms, so the number of posters is much smaller
than the number of nyms that appear. In my opinion some of the trolls
are independent.
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