Cumguzlersoft code in OSS?

[suselinux]

MS is claiming that Its own IP is likely to be found in opensource software no word yet on a lawsuit.

 

quote: Gates said intellectual property from SCO and other companies--including Microsoft--has found its way into the code.

"There's no question that in cloning activities, IP from many, many companies, including Microsoft, is being used in open-source software," Gates said. "When people clone things, that often becomes unavoidable."  

web page

 

quote:  CEO Steve Ballmer, also on hand to answer questions at the meeting, but only answered "My fingers smell like pooh, pooh"  

[sime]

I'm confused by this.

How EXACTLY could or did this happen?

$MS code is compiled and the source is not distributed.

So if it is to be found in Open Source code then either the developers took the time to dissassemble the code and reverse engineer it (Yeh right!) or one of $MS "Happy Employees" must have passed it to the community ... Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, say no more...

Oh and why have you only just discoverd this, it couldn't have anything to do with SCO and it's ridiclous claims could it?  

Lets face it Bill your companies code is bug ridden crap, with the odd flight simulator thrown in just for the developers fun!

Why on earth would the Open Source Community want to use it when they can write their own and quite frankly do a better job!

We are not going to go away Bill no matter how many lawsuits you make! And the tighter you draw the net, the more Pengiuns are going slip through, turn around and bite your arse!  

Sime

[ErwinJ]

I think I see the first traces of a pattern here. Could this the the Mother of all FUD campaigns in the making?

You know SCO is full of it, I know it. But what does Joe Blow 'ooh I like the pretty XP colors' think about all this?

[TheQuirk]

You're all wrong. They didn't claim it was code.

IP can be look-and-feel (for example, I remember Apple sending a C&D letter to an open source project about its look-and-feel), for example.

And we all know how keen lots of open source projects are on copying UIs, icons, etc.

[avello500]

let em sue. when it gets to court it will come out that m$ has taken from both apple and linux.
especially in the looks department.

[M51DPS]

I hate that they think they can just point fingers and kill whoever they choose. Doesn't anybody remember the Salem Witch Trials? It's as though they keep chanting, "BURN THE LINUX, BURN THE LINUX!". But it's still just their way to try and discredite Linux, make their new software look good, and claim that 2003 is taking hold.

[jtpenrod]

quote:"One thing about the GPL is that you can't just license IBM Linux, or Red Hat Linux," Gates said. "The way the GPL works, if you license any Linux, you have to license all Linux."

Dat darn ol' GPL: you just can't go in and steal whatever you want and lock it away forever. You have to share enhancements and improvements.
 

quote:"Here you have a product without R&D controls, and it's not part of a cross-license," he said. "Given the high level of functionality, you'd think it would have patents.

"Companies that are doing R&D have by and large entered into cross-licensing agreements," he said. "Microsoft and IBM did cross-licensing 10 years ago, when we were small. But Linux is not covered by most of these cross-licenses."

And just what has "R & D Controls" done for the state of WinDoesn't? The Virii, the security holes (two more serious ones just turned up) the BSODs, the Trojans, the spy/ad/nag/ware speaks for itself, doesn't it.    

"Microsoft and IBM entered into cross-licensing 10 years ago, when we were small." And then His Gatesness promptly fucked IBM up the ass. (Which explains why you don't want to enter such agreements with Microsoft    ) There's no need for Linux to enter any such agreements: MS has nothing to offer either Linux specifically, or the Open Source community in general.    
 

quote:"There's no question that in cloning activities, IP from many, many companies, including Microsoft, is being used in open-source software," Gates said. "When people clone things, that often becomes unavoidable."

Betcha there's a helluva lot more Open Source IP, including GPL'd IP, in Winderz than the other way around. Besides, WTF could Linux "steal" from Winderz anyway? The BSOD? The outstanding security? GUIs that look like they were designed for four-year-olds by four-year-olds? The phone home "daemons"?   :rolleyes:    :eek:      
 

quote:Microsoft said Thursday it plans to invest $6.8 billion in research and development in fiscal 2004.

To Microsoft, "research and development" means hiring marketing weenies, payoffs to foreign gov'ts, lies and FUD.
 

quote:"The average person on the IT floor knows there are issues because of the SCO-IBM lawsuit, but in terms of understanding the details about risks, there's not a well-developed understanding I see among our customers," Ballmer said.

Mind like a steel trap, that Ballmer. Worth every cent they pay him.    
______________________________________
Live Free or Die: Linux

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[Annorax]

The supposed Cumguzlersoft intellectual property is probably the concept of software or some shit like that.... Now, if we could patent THAT....