rotten bananas

The web is abash with theories about Microsoft and their hungry lawyers. It’s always fun to speculate and muse but, whether I imagined the article I mentioned or not (I’m pretty sure I didn’t), Microsoft is not going to sue anyone over open source patent infringements.

Why not?

Well, it’s simply bad business. Everybody knows that Microsoft benefits from the open source community. Aside from the recent deal signed with Novell, Microsoft has released some of their own code under the GNU GPL and has been caught using open source code in it’s own applications. In addition, there’s little to be gained from attacking a group with so much support. It would take an ungodly amount of money to buy back those broken hearts. Besides, who would they go after? Linus Torvald, The FSF, Red Hat, Canonical, the users? I don’t think so.

So what’s the deal?

Some say Vista’s performing badly, so Microsoft is panicking and swinging blindly. It’s just been reported that Vista sold 40 million licenses in 100 days. That doesn’t sound like it’s worth going into panic mode over. I think this is the first time that we’re seeing how little the open source movement is affecting Microsoft. Sure, without Linux competing, they may have sold 42 million licenses, but I don’t think Mr. Gates is padding the sweat from his brow yet.

Microsoft is just flexing their proverbial biceps, and there are money signs tattooed on the insides. With all the hype around Linux lately, especially regarding the release of Feisty Fawn and Dell’s recent adoption of it, Microsoft felt pushed into the background. This little hoopla was just to say, “Hey remember us! You’d be nowhere without us!” as Bill’s giant head throbs and everything around him not bolted to the floor begins floating a few inches above the ground. To a point, he’s right, and if it gives the company’s ego a big, long stroke, then operation successful. The outburst is very conveniently timed along with the announcement about Vista’s success, but coincidences happen everyday, so who knows.

I guess what it comes down to is that while the stability of the business world often ruins the crazy roller coaster ride we perceive to be, they’re actually quite similar. Business is just a series of promises and threats, fear and excitement, but like a roller coaster, you never actually soar into the air or crash into the ground, unless, of course, something has gone horribly wrong.