[Linux-aus] [Osia-discuss] If you could ask Microsoft a question, what would it be?

[Con Zymaris]

On Sun, Jan 13, 2008 at 12:33:50PM +1100, Nathan Bailey wrote:
> Microsoft Research do some really interesting, innovative and even  
> completely open stuff. If we're looking for opportunities to  
> collaborate (= help Microsoft to engage with, contribute to and build  
> our community) then I would think it would be good to:
> i) Understand what are some key MS research activities of interest to  
> the SLUG/LUV communities
> ii) Understand some key problems in the SLUG/LUV communities that MS  
> research or MS in general may be able to help solve
> iii) Understand what grants, cooperative research and cooperative  
> development priorities MS may have right now.

perhaps, but this approach to speak to LUGs is unlikely to be coming
from Microsoft's 'non-core product' technology teams, which mostly hook
themselves into university research groups and subvert what those groups
are doing so that they now do it under .NET - much like a (real) virus
subverts the operation of a normal cell, turning it into a machine for
doing the virus's bidding ;-)

> 
> Microsoft is a huge cash cow (in the OS and Office sections, at  
> least). We should be actively working with them to help them spend  
> their money on things that are important to both of us.
> 
> Let's not use this opportunity to dig up all the things MS have done  
> (or are doing) wrong. Let's use it to find ways to help them do right.  
> They're not going to change their core values (and neither are we),  
> but there is still plenty of room for agreement and collaboration.
> 
> re,
> N
> PS: Some people may be surprised to think that MS would want to work  
> with, contribute to or build our community. But MS already do a lot of  
> this for a lot of different communities. Helping communities is good  
> business. Let's find ways to help Microsoft contribute to our  
> communities.

Sure, this is a great strategy, but it will only work once Microsoft
loses the mantle of monopolist kind-pin. Until that happens, until
Microsoft becomes "just another powerful ICT player", like IBM, HP, or
Intel, then there's little chance of it becoming a reality.

-- 
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