Re: The latest Microsoft FUD. This time from BillG, himself.

[Larry McVoy]

On Wed, Jun 20, 2001 at 11:09:10PM +0100, Alan Cox wrote:
> > http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5092935,00.html > 
> 
> Of course the URL that goes with that is :
> 	http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/interix/features.asp
> 
> Yes., Microsoft ship GNU C (quite legally) as part of their offerings...

Which brings up an interesting question for us all.  Let's postulate, for
the sake of discussion, that we agree on the following:

    a) Linux (or just about any Unix) is a better low level OS than NT
    b) Microsoft's application infrastructure is better (the COM layer,
       the stuff that lets apps talk to each, the desktop, etc).

I know we can argue that KDE/GNOME/whatever is going to get there or is
there or is better, etc., but for the time being lets just pretend that
the Microsoft stuff is better.

What would be wrong with Microsoft/Linux?  It would be:

    a) the Linux kernel
    b) the Microsoft API ported to X
    c) Microsoft apps
    d) Linux apps

Since Microsoft is all about making money, it doesn't matter if they
charge for the dll's or the OS, either one is fine, you can't run Word
without them.  If you don't need the Microsoft apps, you could strip
them off and strip off the dlls and ship all the rest of it without
giving Microsoft a dime.  If you do need the apps or you want the app
infrastructure, you have to give Microsoft exactly what you have to give
them today - money - but you can run Word side by side with Ghostview
or whatever.  Microsoft could charge exactly the same amount for the
dll's as they charge for the OS, none of the end users can tell the
difference anyway.

I'm unimpressed with what Microsoft calls an operating system and
I'm equally unimpressed with what Unix calls an application layer.
For the last 10 years, Unix has gotten the OS right and the apps wrong
and Microsoft has gotten the apps right and the OS wrong.  Seems like
there is potential for a win-win.

You can scream all you want that "it isn't free software" but the fact
of the matter is that you all scream that and then go do your slides for
your Linux talks in PowerPoint.