| ELC blasts Microsoft's OSS attack |
May 07, 2001
Not unexpectedly, the Embedded Linux Consortium (ELC) today joined the chorus of reactions to Microsoft's recent critique of open source software. Here is the text of the ELC announcement . . .
Embedded Linux Consortium Claims Microsoft Position Ignores Vast Embedded Markets
Trade Association Says Gate's "Gold Rush" Has Yet to Start
San Jose, CA; May 7, 2000 -- The Chairman and the Executive Director of the 125-member Embedded Linux Consortium today joined with other association members and blasted public remarks by Microsoft senior executives Craig Mundie (Senior Vice President) and Jim Allchin (Group Vice President, Platforms Group) as "naive and xenophobic." Mundie's remarks came as part of a speech entitled "The Commercial Software Model," delivered last week before an audience at New York University's Stern School of Business. Allchin's remarks, made earlier this year, were intended to influence U.S policymakers.
Mundie labeled Open Source software "unhealthy," suggesting it was anti-Capitalistic and anti-competitive 1. Allchin said, "Open-source is an intellectual property destroyer. I can't imagine something... worse than this for the software business and the intellectual property business." To U.S. legislators, Allchin said "...I don't think we've done enough education of policymakers to understand the threat (of open source software)2."
Dr. Inder Singh, ELC Chairman and CEO of LynuxWorks, said, "Microsoft's broadside against open source shows they feel threatened by the rapid momentum of Linux in markets that Microsoft desperately needs to dominate as PC sales slow down. These include the server market and emerging, volume-rich embedded markets like set-top boxes, Internet appliances, Personal Digital Assistants, home gateways, factory automation and the automobile."
"With the Justice Department's anti-trust lawsuit looking less threatening, Microsoft apparently feels free to unleash its favorite fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) weapon against Linux and open source," Singh added. "By ratcheting up the volume, they are turning their paranoia into a scorched earth policy."
"The ELC and its members believe that a healthy mixture of open source and commercial software products are good for customers, and a market dominated by a single company is bad for customers. A mix of open source and commercial products provides more choice and helps fuel innovation and competition. This has been demonstrated in the explosive growth of the Internet. The open source GNU tools have also played a key role in the growing embedded market, along with many commercial products," Dr. Singh concluded.
ELC Executive Director Murry Shohat said, "Allchin, Mundie and Microsoft desperately want all to believe that recent spectacular failures of Dot-Com's is a fate just waiting to happen to the open source software movement. In his remarks, Mundie quoted (Microsoft Chairman) Bill Gates who, in a 1995 book, boorishly instructs, "Gold rushes tend to encourage impetuous investments... when the frenzy is behind us, we will look back incredulously at the wreckage... and wonder, `who funded these companies?'"
"By connecting a failed strategy -- free services offered as consumer incentives by some Dot Coms -- to the many freedoms of the open source development model, Microsoft has delivered impetuous executive FUD," said Shohat. "If Mundie's remark was just the mental equivalent of a loose cannon on the deck of the Microsoft ship of state, we could suggest pushing the cannon overboard. But this is actually a loose Microsoft on the deck of the capitalist ship of state, asking the world to not permit open source developers to compete with them."
"The real Gold Rush in computing is about to begin," said Dr. Singh, "and the opportunity is in embedded systems, notwithstanding Microsoft's absurd Dot-Com example. Because the use of microprocessors in these marketplaces outnumbers personal computers by about 90 to 1, Microsoft wants to dominate the sale of operating systems in all major markets -- its core strategy. As Microsoft witnesses open source products like Linux gaining a foothold, it fears that it will need a different core strategy, such as actual competition."
"The ELC and its members believe that a healthy mixture of open source and commercial software products are good for customers, and a market dominated by a single company is bad for customers. A mix provides more choice and helps fuel innovation and competition. This has been demonstrated in the explosive growth of the Internet. The open source GNU tools have also played a key role in the growing embedded market, along with many commercial products," Dr. Singh concluded.
About the Embedded Linux Consortium
Responding to the rising tide of interest in Linux for embedded applications, representatives from dozens of technology firms formed the ELC, a vendor-neutral trade association dedicated to advancing the depth, breadth and speed of Linux adoption in the enormous embedded computer market. In its first 75 days, membership hit 75 (now at 125). The ELC offers free membership to developers who demonstrate their participation in the Open Source code base of the Linux operating system. More details about the ELC are available at www.embedded-linux.org.
References: - http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8536226053.html
- http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-4833927.html
- http://www.zdnet.com/enterprise/stories/linux/0,12249,2663673,00.html
Contact: Embedded Linux Consortium; Dr. Inder Singh, 408/879-3900, isingh@lynuxworks.com; Murry Shohat, 707/576-0115, murry@embedded-linux.org
Related stories: Talk back! Do you have a question or comment about this article? talkback here
(Click here for further information)
|
|
|
FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.
Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.
Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.
Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.
High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.
Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.
Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.
Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.
7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.
|
|
|
|
|
news feed