Re: [SLUG] Microsoft opens source code to govts

From: Norbert Cartagena (gnorb@tampabay.rr.com)
Date: Thu Jan 16 2003 - 01:58:07 EST


Derek Glidden wrote:
> On Wed, 2003-01-15 at 08:49, Frank Roberts - SOTL wrote:
>
>>Hi All
>>I have 2 views on posting this news notice:
>>1) It is not Linux so don't post it.
>>2) Linux is having some dynamic effects so post it.
>>
>>2 won out over 1 because this is major conformation that MS is on the
>>defensive.
>>
>
>
> personally I see it as a SERIOUS threat to Linux development.
>
> if they can get enough people in corporations/governments looking at the
> MS source code, that "taints" the programmers in those organizations
> with NDA-covered knowledge of MS code internals, which in turn means
> they would NEVER be able to "safely" write code to contribute to any
> open-source development effort because MS would have a very solid
> grounds for legal proceedings against them and any code they wrote for
> copyright infringement.
>
> MS is on the defensive, but unfortunately, they have come up with an
> EXTREMELY effective counter-attack. LKML folks know better than to ever
> look at any code that could even be vaguely construed as MS-origin for
> precisely this reason.
>

Following this logic, would it then not be the case that if any
programmer currelntly working for MS (or, for that matter, any
proprietary software company) would at some point in the past have
looked at open sourced (GPL'd) code, that the same programmer could not
then ever be able to "safely" write code to contribute to any
closed-source development effort because the FSF (or any other
organization) would have very solid grounds for legal proceedings
against them and any code they wrote for license infringement?

Just wondering.

Gnorb



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