Readers blast Ballmer for saying Linux users owe Microsoft

Computerworld - It didn't take long for readers to respond to the article "Ballmer: Linux users owe Microsoft", in which Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer said the open-source operating system infringes on his company's intellectual property. Microsoft declined to comment further on Ballmer's comments or the reaction to them.

Below are some of the readers' comments, which have been edited for grammar. Readers' initials have been used in place of full names where we didn't receive permission to use full names.

Also, check out our Sound Off blog on Microsoft's Linux strategy.

You can join the discussion by responding to the Sound Off blog or writing an e-mail to editor@computerworld.com.

Hilarious

I think it is hilarious Ballmer claims that Linux users owe MS for "taking advantage of Microsoft innovation." What innovation? This company never has been an innovator, just a user of others' ideas. I will be interested to see if MS ever details what part of the Linux kernel is infringing. I think this is another scare tactic with no teeth.

-- Mark Perricone

Stealing profits

Watch Microsoft. Now that Oracle has offered to indemnify all Red Hat Linux users on any patent infringement issues, Microsoft may be using this as a way to steal Oracle profits. ...

-- Chris Driscoll

Started stealing with CPM

This is an unbelievable statement from a company that has made a career out of stealing other companies' ideas -- starting with CPM.

-- Jim Hess

Now thinking of converting users to Red Hat

As a longtime user, supporter and seller of Microsoft products, Ballmer's statement is so arrogant that it makes me want to convert all my users to Red Hat.

-- John Beale

Intimidation tactics

The whole point of a patent is that disclosure protects you, so why isn't Ballmer disclosing what IP is being used? Microsoft is simply using intimidation to further strengthen its anticompetitive and aggressive marketing strategies.

-- Nic Oatridge

Microsoft has stolen everything

Steve Ballmer claims that Linux users somehow owe Microsoft for use of its intellectual property. Actually, it is Microsoft that owes the open source community, including Linux, reparations. Consider that Microsoft "stole" a complete open source TCP/IP stack (some of which was rooted in Linux) in order to connect their operating system to the Internet. They "stole" an entire open source web browser to form the basis of their own effort. Microsoft has performed its trademark FUD operation to date against Linux by bankrolling the SCO lawsuit via purchases of Unix "licenses," with minor success. Since the SCO FUD op now appears to be fading rapidly, I guess Ballmer feels the need to take direct action, and appears to be targeting the exact interoperability interfaces his own company recently vowed to expand. Personally, I think three fingers point back in this case: Microsoft has invented nothing (not even DOS), and stolen everything in its intellectual portfolio.