"Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating-system chief, Jim
Allchin, says that freely distributed software code such as rival
Linux could stifle innovation and that legislators need to
understand the threat. The result will be the demise of both
intellectual property rights and the incentive to spend on research
and development, he said yesterday, after the company previewed its
latest version of Windows. Microsoft has told U.S. lawmakers of its
concern while discussing protection of intellectual property
rights."
"Open source is an intellectual-property destroyer," Allchin
said. "I can't imagine something that could be worse than this for
the software business and the intellectual-property
business."
"Allchin said he's concerned that the open-source business model
could stifle initiative in the computer industry. "I'm an American,
I believe in the American Way," he said. "I worry if the government
encourages open source, and I don't think we've done enough
education of policy makers to understand the threat."