Smart move by MS

[billy_gates]

Most of you guys have probably heard of some of the XBox mods and hacks flying around.  Several are on sourceforge like www.xboxmediaplayer.com.  I was thinking that Microsoft sure is smart.  Eventually the XBox 2 will have all of these features.  And all of these apps are open source.  So microsoft basically let everyone do the work for them.  Now Microsoft really has to do very little programming.  Just make it so it works without the mod, or make the mod come in the xbox.  Since its open source there is no one to sue them for stealing code or not giving due credit.  Good Move Microsoft.

Not that I support this move, I just thought it was a smart one.  If I was put in the same position I would have made the decision.

[ChakanTGM]

Doesn't work that way. You still have to comply with the author's wishes and you still have to give them credit.You can't take an unmodified and unoriginal work and call it your own.

[billy_gates]

quote:Originally posted by ChakanTGM:
Doesn't work that way. You still have to comply with the author's wishes and you still have to give them credit.You can't take an unmodified and unoriginal work and call it your own.

I never said it was legal.  I said Microsoft can do it.  Just as they have done similar things with other companies and software.

[ChakanTGM]

I wouldn't put it past them.

[Calum]

they can't. it is illegal and they are too big to get out of the way of a lawsuit - and believe me the open source community would jump at the chance to sue microsoft. it's one thing legally ripping off code that's under BSD or XFree86 type licences and putting it in yr products, that's annoying but legal. it's another thing to rip of GPL stuff. that is cut and dried illegal and might be enough to put microsoft almost out of business if they get caught doing it.

i hope somebody at redmond is reading this although i know they know and hate this fact and have done for many years.

[billy_gates]

quote:Originally posted by Calum:
they can't. it is illegal and they are too big to get out of the way of a lawsuit - and believe me the open source community would jump at the chance to sue microsoft. it's one thing legally ripping off code that's under BSD or XFree86 type licences and putting it in yr products, that's annoying but legal. it's another thing to rip of GPL stuff. that is cut and dried illegal and might be enough to put microsoft almost out of business if they get caught doing it.

i hope somebody at redmond is reading this although i know they know and hate this fact and have done for many years.

of course the Open source community would jump on the opportunity.  But could they afford it.  Even with many open sourcers combines, how much money and time could they put into a lawfuit.  Thousands, millions, maybe even a couple billion.  Whoopdi fuckin do.  MS will throw 2 or 3 times as much money as they do and MS will come out victorious as always.

[neo_x500]

Yeah, well, GPL companies probably have a lot more lawyers than MS, think about it, how would you contend with all those different distros of linux, all suing you at once. MS would pay dearly for doing something like that. HEY, there is an idea, I'll go to work for microsoft, I'll anonamously put in some open source code, and then I'll tell the open source community. Microsoft won't be able to find the code, they bill be to bloated up.
-even if they wanted to, they couldn't check all fo that code.
-thumbs up their asses my friend, thumbs up their asses.
QUICK-what movie is that from?
-------------------------------------------------of course if I do this, everybody here has to keep there mouths shut.
-We can't tell anybody
-don't worry I won't tell anybody either.
-what the fuck was that
-don't worry, he's cool.

[ June 17, 2003: Message edited by: Neo_Linux_User ]

[Laukev7]

*cough* SCO *cough*

[skyman8081]

quote:Originally posted by Neo_Linux_User:
Yeah, well, GPL companies probably have a lot more lawyers than MS, think about it, how would you contend with all those different distros of linux, all suing you at once. MS would pay dearly for doing something like that. HEY, there is an idea, I'll go to work for microsoft, I'll anonamously put in some open source code, and then I'll tell the open source community. Microsoft won't be able to find the code, they bill be to bloated up.
-even if they wanted to, they couldn't check all fo that code.
-thumbs up their asses my friend, thumbs up their asses.
QUICK-what movie is that from?
-------------------------------------------------of course if I do this, everybody here has to keep there mouths shut.
-We can't tell anybody
-don't worry I won't tell anybody either.
-what the fuck was that
-don't worry, he's cool.

[ June 17, 2003: Message edited by: Neo_Linux_User ]

g00d plan, and that is from office space.

[neo_x500]

Yup, that is from office space, T.V. is good for the brain, it makes it easier. When the T.V. steals my brain I can join the rest of humanity. Unless I can set this up. Now, how can I make this plan subtle, yet damaging to microsofts future.
-We'll make sure we take enough money out of this place to never have to sit in a little cubicle again.
I love television.

[hm_murdock]

hey, man. I'll give you some of my giant bombs. you can put them under billy's chair as a backup plan... or maybe as part of the main plan...

EUREKA!!

when the cops show up to confiscate the company, we'll blow up the bombs and put billy in orbit so that it looks like he's resisting arrest. that way the cops will go into space with the space shuttle and turn on the rockets right in front of him, turning him into a CHARRED SKELETON