It’s James here, from Australia. Sorry this is not a good place to try and get in touch! I’ve forgotten your email and had some problems.

I’m the Aussie who did the Linus etc interview when Maggie was around. Please get in touch and let me know your email address.

Many thanks, Happy Easter Simon!

James

Has the author become familiar with the rough road samba had to travel? What recent development made it easier for them to get samba to better integrate in a Windows domain environment, apparently the very argument he’s making? More specifically, WHO was forced to work closer with WHOM?

How about the ability for OpenOffice to manipulate .doc files? Has Microsoft jumped at the chance to give OpenOffice a helping hand with that format? No??? And what of Microsoft’s shady dealings getting OOXML shoved down the throats of standards bodies instead of improving ODF? Is that meeting anyone halfway?

Perhaps the author suggesting that Microsoft is excused from working with FOSS since MS has profits to meet and is the bigger player, therefore FOSS needs to do the heavy interop lifting yet still take all the blame when it doesn’t quite fit.

I’m afraid the only answer the author may want to see is for Linux to drop the GPL, go commercial, and let individual corporations divide up the carcass while everyone else is denied any resulting benefit from added technology built by those companies paying a huge sum of money to MS for patented/hidden APIs and such. As it currently stands, FOSS and MS are at an impasse since FOSS demands everyone have equal access but MS demands $$$$ before anyone can have equal access (unless forced by law). Unless FOSS is diluted beyond recognition or MS has an epiphany, there is very little common ground.

FOSS has a history of much better interoperability than most other technology. The framework is there, the skillset is chomping at the bits (no pun intended), and the passion to get it done is simmering on the back burner. What is missing?

I believe the answer is terribly obvious.

Is someone in Linux community claiming that using Windows is a crime? Believe me Simon, the reason why people like me have moved to use Linux is simple. It’s Windows OS itself.

It is regrettable that a vocal minority in some cases miss this point, and give an impression to outsiders that open source is an elitist, “geek-oriented” movement.