I cannot figure out if I should put this post under Open Source Software (OSS) Culture, OSS Business Issue or OSS Development Trend. I decided on culture because I think the two competing "non news stories" fall into the "it's all for show category."
On one hand, Microsoft has opened a Microsoft OSS site. Microsoft's PR says it's about "participating, partnering, growing and learning." It's really about Microsoft finally getting ahead of the curve against the Microhate that comes subtly from Red Hat and with venom from others. Microsoft says: "This site is intended to provide information about Microsoft and open source in one place, serving as a gateway for information about open source engagements and activities across Microsoft. This includes announcements concerning releases of Microsoft code for community development through the Shared Source program; however, the Shared Source Initiative (SSI) will continue to encompass the spectrum of programs and licenses offered by Microsoft to various communities of customers, partners, developers, and other interested individuals. This includes not only the processes for Microsoft product groups releasing source code for community development, but also, for example, the Government Security Program (GSP) for national governments and international organizations; the Windows Academic Program, supplying universities with concepts, code, and projects useful for integrating core Windows kernel technologies into teaching and research."
The Microsoft OSS site makes my research job easier but I don't see any great benefit for those of us in the open choice camp.
As for the Red Hat Microbashing, it's been turned up a notch by Red Hat's inhouse blogger at Truth Happens. Red Hat has posted four or five times in the last few days about some deal Microsoft has made with the government of Chile. First of all, I have no idea if the facts vis a vis Chile and Microsoft are correct. But if they are, the Red Hat activity is Microbashing in its most crafty form. Most Microbashing is hateful, so obscene and crude (usually filled with misspellings and often with other hate aspects such as racism or bullying) that it is dismissed as the grafitti that it is. Red Hat Microbashing is different; it is usually a redirection from a third party so that Red Hat itself appears to be simply performing an alerting service.
On the Chile issue, Red Hat's inhouse blogger is all in a dither about Microsoft apparently donating software to schools and other child-related programs in the South American country. How is that in any way different than Red Hat donating software to schools and other child-related program in the One Laptop per Child program?
"How is that in any way different than Red Hat donating software to schools and other child-related program in the One Laptop per Child program?"
As I understand it, the Chilean FOSS community sees it as a door-closing on open source software, and as is always the case, for no good reason. It doesn't stike them as a good deal, they don't see the benefit to Chilean society and it seems to overlook the known benefits of open standards when choosing a public IT infrastructure. Some hate the apparent secrecy. Many of them are more angry at their government's ineptitude than Microsoft's alacrity at taking advantage of it.
Whatever the reason, THEY aren't comfortable with it, and that is an interesting story.
Donating man hours and expertise to create an operating system with no strings attached is a lot different than that.