The Linux Voice view on what's going on in the world of Free Software.
News Analysis
Hey, everybody, they are still Microsoft.
Opinion
Has Microsoft Surrendered to Open Source?
One of the big stories of 2016 has been Microsoft's continuing charm offensive to persuade the open source free software communities they are now "us" rather than "them." They've changed: joined Eclipse, publicized their contributions to large numbers of projects, and even joined The Linux Foundation at the highest (Platinum) level.
In response, almost every commentator has been lauding Microsoft's progress and dismissing residual criticisms – almost certainly the response Microsoft seeks. One veteran commentator even declared "open source has won and Microsoft has surrendered" [1].
To believe that Microsoft has "surrendered" is not right. They are still a company embracing the theory of maximizing shareholder value regardless of morality. They continue to do so without regard for the social norms of the communities they find in their chosen markets. That's demonstrated in part by their continuing monetization of their software patent portfolio at the expense of the other members of the Linux Foundation, which they have recently joined.
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