| Why Microsoft and Linux companies are tying the knot |
Jun. 17, 2007
OK, so why have Novell, Xandros, and Linspire all gotten into bed with Microsoft? Is it...
- They were seduced by Steve Ballmer's charming smile?
- They've gone over to the dark side of the force?
- Terror of Microsoft's mighty patent portfolio had them groveling at Microsoft's feet?
- It actually makes business sense to give their customers some level of Microsoft software compatibility?
Before answering that one, let's ask the other question: Why is Microsoft getting all lovey-dovey with Linux companies? Is it...
- Bill Gates' love of penguin movies starting with The March of the Penguins to this year's Surf's Up?
- Darth Ballmer's realization that he can turn against his evil master of proprietary software?
- Microsoft's quaking in its boots of what Sun, Novell and IBM could do to it with their patent portfolios?
- It actually makes sense to develop some interoperability with Linux?
The answers? It's number 4 for both questions. Oh, and for Microsoft, it's also a chance to spread some patent lawsuit FUD. I mean this is Microsoft we're talking about, and at day's end, selling fear is part of what they do.
Bad news, though, for Microsoft. No one's buying the patent FUD.
At the Linux Foundation's "Collaboration Summit" at the Googleplex in Mountain View, Calif. last week, Dan Frye, IBM's VP of open systems development, said, "We all know the tired old legal FUD that's flying around," but., "We don't get calls asking about the legalities of Linux. We get calls about ease of use and what Linux works with."
I suspect Microsoft knows there's not a lot of value in its patent-infringement FUD card. After all, this isn't the first time Microsoft tried to play it... and the company didn't rake in the pot that time either.
No, the only people who really seem to be paying attention to Microsoft's patent posturing are the Linux people, who are more than happy to heap scorn upon it. What I think many, but far from all, in the Linux community are missing is that that there are sound business reasons for Linux vendors to partner with Microsoft.
Rather than give my reasons for why partnering with Microsoft can be a good idea, here's some that Kevin Carmony, Linspire's CEO, gave me in a recent discussion of the Linspire/Microsoft deal.
"As you pointed out, my attitude has changed. But then, so has Microsoft's," said Carmony.
"Honestly, I've grown weary of the anti-Microsoft theme," Carmony continued. "As for Linspire, those days are behind us. We need partners. Partners need us. For the health of Linspire, and for the good of the PC ecosystem, we need to be more open to cooperate, collaborate, and interoperate. People spend so much time focusing on the 'We're not from Microsoft' language that it drowns out all the other strong reasons to recommend Linux (affordability, customizability, security, etc.)."
I'll add that while Microsoft bashing is good, clean fun and there are times when Microsoft really needs to have that nonsense pointed out, whacking Microsoft just because they are Microsoft doesn't win Linux any friends. I've often seen people tune out of listening to arguments in favor of Linux because all they hear are anti-Microsoft rants. Microsoft is guilty of FUD. That turns people off. Linux fans are often guilty of anti-Microsoft ranting, and that also turns people off.
Back to Carmony, "In the early days of Linux, we had no choice but to bang the 'fight Microsoft' drum (and as you know, no one did it better than Linspire) [Linspire was first known as Lindows and eventually reached an out of court settlement with Microsoft], because we needed to get everyone's attention, including Microsoft's, and to be honest, back then, Linux didn't work very well on the desktop, so it was pretty much the only thing we could find to say about it to get attention."
That's no longer the case today, said Carmony. Microsoft has a better understanding of what Linux and open source is, and how to work in a cooperative manner with Linux, and we have a lot more interesting things to talk about."
He continued, "It's time to move past all of the idea that for Linux to succeed, Microsoft must fail. We need to let it go, and start working with ALL the players in the PC ecosystem, and that certainly includes Microsoft. I can't speak for the rest of the Linux and open source community, but from Linspire, you can expect less fighting and name calling, and more attention to partnering to build a better Linux. We will certainly still compete, just like Apple and Microsoft still compete aggressively, but we've also [got to] build a bridge to work together when necessary."
"There are those who want to isolate Linux from the other 99 percent of the desktop computing world, and if they succeed, Linux will never grow past 1 percent of the desktop market," added Carmony. "I want to see Linux move in the opposite direction, and rather than be exclusive, more inclusive."
"Bottom line, this was a market-driven agreement. I'm excited that we have a model in place, that moving forward; we can collaborate with Microsoft, with both of us having an incentive to see the other succeed. Co-opetition is a healthy thing for the PC ecosystem."
There are some other features to these deals that Carmony didn't mention. I think one that far too many Linux fans miss is that Microsoft is surrendering to Linux.
Microsoft dismissed Linux for years. Then, they sneered at it. Now, they're working with it.
Red Hat's wonderful Truth Happens video ends with the famous Mohandas Gandhi quote, "First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." It's exactly right.
To me, the Linux/Microsoft deals not only make sense, they show that we are in the last stage. Linux is winning, and Microsoft is acknowledging it. After all, if Microsoft didn't have to deal with Linux as something like an equal, why would they bother to make agreements at all?
-- Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
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