osOpinion: When Microsoft Shark-Attacks Linux

“Upon hearing Ballmer’s remarks, I couldn’t help but laugh at
his use of the word “attack,” rather than “compete,” which might
have been a more appropriate word. Ballmer’s statement is even more
out of place when you realize that it comes from a company that
ever so badly wants to convey an image of innovation and fair
competition whether that’s true or not. Keeping these issues in
mind, I began to wonder how Microsoft might “attack” Linux on these
fronts.”

“…Microsoft has adopted a key strategy, which has brought
it to its current lofty position — that strategy being to either
kill or buy out your competition. Knowing what we know about
the company’s usual approach, it’s easy to imagine Ballmer’s
two-way train of thought. A buyout is impossible because nobody
owns Linux, so we’re left with the company’s only other alternative
— kill.”

“It seems to me that Microsoft is going to have a lot tougher
time “attacking” Linux than it anticipates. The open source nature
of the OS and its zero-dollar price tag will prove to be too
powerful an offense to knock down that easily. No, Mr. Ballmer.
It’s time to face the truth. You cannot kill or buy something that
is free.”

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