Microsoft wages war on open source

Microsoft has started beating the war drums. Their target, open source software developers.

On May 14th in an interview with Fortune Magazine, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated that Free Open Source Software violates at least 235 of his company's patents. What Microsoft wants, of course, is for people to pay up.

The software targeted includes the KDE Linux desktop, OpenOffice and a number of email applications. Ballmer states that users of this patent-infringing software should pay royalties to Microsoft.

This is clearly a sign that the omnipresent software giant is feeling pressured. After trying to monopolize the software world and refusing to adopt internationally recognized document formats, Microsoft is feeling the backlash from users who want more affordable (if not free) software.

With hardware vendors such as Dell and Intel partnering with Linux vendors to provide users with more affordable machines, Microsoft has reason to be scared.

According to Free Open Source Software (FOSS) lawyer Eben Moglen, Microsoft doesn't have a case. Moglen argues software is nothing more than mathematical algorithms and such is unpatentable, sort of like saying: "I own 2 + 2 = 4".

Microsoft is slowly changing its business model, maybe out of desperation. The Redmond-based company announced last month that it would make available a stripped-down version of Windows XP and MS Office applications to the Third World for $3 US. This is clearly a response to the One Laptop per Child initiative.

But the monopolistic tendencies are still very present within the software giant's business model. The proprietary .docx file format of the 2007 MS Office suite is an example. Not only does the document format not work with FOSS office suites, it isn't recognized by Office XP.

While corporations, individuals and governments all around the world are moving towards FOSS, Microsoft is still trying to own it all and get everyone to pay for their dominance.

When will they realize knowledge is free and the property of the entire human race?

Ubuntu week one

Well, I made the jump. It's been a week now that I've been operating my computer using Ubuntu. I had been planning on switching to open source software for some time now, but my new PC was giving me problems (bad stick of RAM). Having solved the problem, I installed Ubuntu.

Its graphical user interface (GUI) is reminiscent of Windows. It's intuitive and easy to use. The best feature is by far the Synaptic package manager and the Add/Remove program function.

With Windows, when you need to install a software application, you usually insert a CD or download the installer file. Then a "wizard" program guides you through the process.

With Ubuntu, procuring, installing and upgrading software has never been easier. The Add/Remove program gives you access to all the applications which function with Ubuntu. Under each name is a brief description of what it does, along with a rating system.

You simply select the applications you wish to install and "tada" they are insalled. I don't know if this feature was available in previous Ubuntu releases, but the FeistyFawn version 7.04 has it. The folks over at Canonical have put a lot of effort into this latest release because this is the one Dell will preinstall on its computers.

Now for the criticism
After installing Ubuntu, I had to consult the user forums to find out how to correct my screen resolution. The only options I had were 800x600 or 640x480. The solution was beyond most computer users as I had to go into Terminal (sort of like DOS) to enter commands. I don't like doing stuff like that. Realistically, if Ubuntu wants to appeal to a mass market, then it absolutely needs to correct problems such as this.

Other glitches include not being able to watch the latest Trailer Park Boys. It might just be a codec problem as other videos work. But I didn't want to waste time so I rebooted and selected the Windows OS to watch the adventures of Ricky, Julian and Bubbles. By the way, season 7 rocks.

Dell goes Open Source

It's official, Dell has announced that it will preinstall the free Ubuntu operating system on select desktop computers. In a statement released Tuesday, May 1st, a Dell spokesperson revealed the world's largest computer retailer will preinstall Ubuntu if customers demand it.

Here is a video by Ubuntu founder, Mark Shuttleworth following the announcement:



According to Computer Business Review Online :

"When asked which distribution of Linux Dell should prioritize on, Ubuntu was the most requested option," the company noted in a short statement on Tuesday. "Today, we are excited to tell you that Dell will begin offering Canonical's latest version, Ubuntu 7.04, as an option on select Dell consumer models in the US in the coming weeks."

Dell, already a leader in using the capabilities offered by the Internet as a basis for its business model is now showing leadership in responding to consumer demand through online forums and company blogs. The idea of offering Ubuntu is the result of Dell's IdeaStorm website.

The company set up the website in February to get customer feedback and develop new ideas. An overwhelming amount of users requested Dell offer Linux, OpenOffice.org and Firefox on its systems. Ubuntu packages all those into its installation package.

The IdeaStorm site has also led Dell to revert to offering Windows XP. After all, the full version Vista won't run on most desktops and laptops.

It seems even Michael Dell, company CEO and founder, is a Ubuntu fan.

Last month the company revealed that Michael Dell was using Ubuntu 7.04 on his own personal Precision M90 laptop, alongside the OpenOffice.org productivity suite and Firefox browser. If it's good enough for the CEO, it's good enough for the customers (source).

Not only will this move be good for customers (who will be saving hundreds of dollars in software fees), it's also good news for Canonical (the company behind Ubuntu) and Free open source software (FOSS) groups all over the world.

When will business wake up and realise FOSS is the way of the future? It's free. It's standardized. Furthermore, it's open source, so any software can be modified or scaled to suit the company's needs.

Why pay for software?

Before rushing out to purchase the latest software update, take the time to check if a similar application exists in free and open-source software (FOSS) form. You may be surprised to learn that most of the applications you use in your day to day routine are available free of charge. Furthermore, they are developped according to internationally recognized standards.

Everything from operating systems to the most popular applications exist as FOSS. Firefox and Linux are probably the better know FOSS out there. Here is a list of other very useful FOSS applications and their proprietary equivalents:

Proprietary/FOSS
MS Office / OpenOffice.org
Adobe Photoshop / Gimp.org
Adobe Illustrator / Inkscape.net
Skype / Gizmo
MSN Messenger / Pidgin
Microsoft Windows / Ubuntu.com

It must be stated that most FOSS is not quite as user friendly as proprietary equivalents. The installation process of some FOSS is also somewhat more complicated than it is for proprietary equivalents.

On the upside, most FOSS applications are backed by large online communities of developpers and users. There exist wikis, user manuals and intuitive tutorials to help users install and make use of various applications, all for free. Furthermore, even though users have no interest in making the effort to get things to work themsleves, they can pay someone to do it. The upfront cost is likely to be equal if not less than the total cost of purchasing proprietary software.

In the long run, users (or companies) will never have to pay for updates, new versions, license fees, etc. If the upgrading and implementation process of FOSS costs money, well, so does it for proprietary software (when was the last time you set up your computer at work... usually the tech does it... techs cost money).

Not only will individuals and companies save money in the short and long run by adopting FOSS, they will also learn new computer skills using standardized applications which aren't at the mercy of software companies (oh, sorry, we don't support that version anymore, you must purchase the newer one).

For a list of most FOSS projects, visit SourceForge.net.