Dave,

I think most reasonable observers (see ZDNet, PC Week, eWeek, Larry Augustin,...) agree that this is an attempt by Microsoft to spread FUD. Bottom line is that when it comes to stuff like this, everyone should be from Missouri - show me where the infringements are and let's fix it. That's what every single Microsoft customer, partner, investor and employee has a right to expect.

But I have to say that I think you go way too far by damning Microsoft to the dustbin of tech history. That won't happen anytime soon and probably not at all. I am going to their event Monday because I think it's worth hearing Microsoft out. If they say "we'll give you technical assistance to port NetDirector to Windows (btw, A LOT of people ask us for this), but first you need to tacitly acknoweldge that NetDirector violates our patents," then I'll say thanks but no thanks. But maybe they'll come to their senses and won't say that. Furthermore, going and hearing them out is in my customers' and my investors' best interest.

I'd like to make another proposal for you and others to consider as an alternative to a boycott. All the open source projects/companies invited to go to this event, let's agree to stand together against singing or in any way agreeing or implying that we agree that our projects or any open source project infringes on any patents.

Perhaps a letter like the following (forgive me if this sounds awful, I'm not a lawyer):

Recognizing the important role Microsoft plays in today's computing environment as the largest software company and leading provider of closed source software, and recognizing the need for interoperability between open and closed source solutions, we the open source projects/companies attending Microsoft's ISV forum welcome Microsoft's interest in working with us. We also agree that we will not sign any document that states or in any way implies, nor will we in any other way agree or consent, that our or any other open source project infringes on any of Microsoft's or any other entity's patents.

Let me know if you want to go along on this and maybe we can get a lawyer to help with the language...

Greg

Dave, see the following disturbing bit, which confirms what Jeremey Allison told us months ago.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199501831

"Microsoft currently collects royalties from some companies that use Linux in their computing environments, Gutierrez said. However, he declined to indicate the number, the dollar amount Microsoft receives from those payments, or identify any of the companies by name."

I am really sorry, but this is extortion.

Dave, I really don’t want to address the rhetoric in your statement. But I believe that by boycotting the ISV Forum you will only strengthen the anti-open source elements within Microsoft. It is only through reasoned discourse that substantive change is made, and that is what we are all after, is it not? My perspective is that open source is inevitable, but it is only through long-term, repeated exposure to its principles and benefits that the most recalcitrant holdouts will evolve, and that’s what we’re talking about here with Microsoft.

Shouldn’t more people attend, not fewer? The more Microsoft gets involved with open source, the faster and stronger its hold within the company becomes. The more firms build and deploy open source solutions in Microsoft environments, the more indispensable and intertwined open source becomes. Open source is like democracy, the more people are exposed, the faster it is embraced.

Andrew,

My answer then is plain and simple for those at Microsoft who are anti-open source. "Screw you." It's not my place to teach a monopoly how to usurp additional markets and disrupt all the great things going on with OSS (which BTW you personally have done a lot for)--I am failing to see why we should help the company that wants to kill us all.

As soon as Microsoft puts in place something that says they won't sue I will happily take them out for coffee.