Open Sources | Rodrigues & Urlocker » The "gaping void" in Hugh MacLeod's understanding of open source

April 19, 2007 | Comments: (0)

The "gaping void" in Hugh MacLeod's understanding of open source

TAGS: Open Source

And Microsoft had been doing so well vis-a-vis open source. Well, for a few days, anyway.

I still think the company has a lot of opportunity in open source, but it's aggravating to watch the constant backsliding.

Case in point: Hugh MacLeod's (of gapingvoid fame) recent "innocent" lampooning of open source, using Microsoft's stale "science project" pejorative meme. (MacLeod is on retainer by Microsoft for this work.) Stephe is right: it's just a tired, losing argument. I'm not sure why Microsoft continues to waste money on a myth that the market clearly doesn't believe, no matter how many times it repeats the rubbish.

Worse, why does Microsoft continue to set itself up in opposition to a development and distribution methodology that could help its business? Stephe is right:

You see Microsoft still thinks they compete with open source. They still think there's a spectrum with commercial software at one end, and open source software at the other. It's a lie they tell themselves, and by extension their customers, despite the evidence to the contrary. It unfortunately hobbles their own ability to execute in this space.

It's simply not true. Open source is a bogeyman of Microsoft's own imagination. It's not a threat - it's an opportunity.

Microsoft: give Bill Hilf and Sam Ramji a chance. You do their otherwise useful work a major disservice when you continue flagellating yourselves with the inane fear of what could be your greatest friend.

Posted by Matt Asay on April 19, 2007 06:41 AM

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