Microsoft, patents and the open source community

Dear Open Source Community,

You have been had.

We hadn't been doing too well lately. Vista sales aren't up to our previously over-inflated figures, we are still loosing money on that whole Xbox thing, and Dell, normally our favourite lapdog, is going to go and sell Linux on a home PC! Not good. So, we came up with an ingenious idea. Let us use these patents we spent so much money on getting, despite the fact everyone knows they are worthless and frivolous, and take on the open source community with them!

However, we couldn't sue anyone. At the very best, we would remove some competitors, and awaken that sleeping giant called IBM. At the worst case scenario, our claims would be thrown out of court, some counter claims get thrown against us, and we get a ton of bad publicity. As well as that, we would give the open source community a big public win. That couldn't work.

So we decided to “give” those patents to the open source. Say that, while we could sue, we won't. Say that, while open source is stealing from us, let us throw down the barriers and work together. Of course, anyone that knows anything about how all this works, is that we work together, use their technology in ours, then, once we have an “open system”, close it back up again. Suddenly, we add some new features, and the opposition can't implement them and we are back on top again. End users don't care if their technology works with everyone, just with what they have to deal with. If all their friends are using the new Microsoft picture format by default, then if they can't open it, its a fault with their computer, not that standard.

Many may scoff at this idea, say its stupid and no-one will fall for it. To them, I tell them to stop worrying about the headlines at “ilovepenguins.com” and worry more about what Google News is saying, worry about what the majority of the people will see. They won't see “Frivolous lawsuit claims” or “Microsoft bullies software industry again”, they see “Microsoft won't sue over patents” and “Microsoft aims to work with Open Source”. They see us as the good guys, and you are the snobby hippies that don't want to play together. If you guys want to get serious about fighting us, you had better learn to how to get some positive PR. Apple knows how to do it with their iPod, iMacs and whatever else they do, Sony knew how to do it with their PlayStations, but you guys have no idea. They only people that hear about Linux achievements are Linux users themselves.

So, if you are seriously worried about the lawsuits, relax. It's not going to happen. But remember, we have won this battle, and look forward to the next.

Regards,

Microsoft PR team*

*please note, not really from Microsoft, I have no affiliation with them, nor do I even like them

Of looking backward

I was thinking to myself the other day "I'd really like to start a blog". So, with my Google account, I came to blogger, and started looking at possible urls for my brand new blog. Then I remembered that I already had a blog, and after almost locking myself out because I couldn't remember my password (and no longer have access to the email account I used when creating it) I have finally started my good old new blog.

Reading my past posts, which I forgot even writing, I relised a few things. Things change alot in 2 years, and things don't change at all. I am still a nerd, moved to Linux now. I am still programming in PHP and Java, which have been my languages of choice (RAD all the way!), however, I now have a girlfriend, a part time job, a casual job. I am still at Uni, but finish my Bachelor of Applied Computing (Mathematics) in a month, then time for honors. However, I don't get stressed at my sometimes lacking ability to study anymore, because I know its a cycle and I'll get the motivation when I need it.

However, this post marks a change in direction for this blog (not shocking considering it has been two years since I posted, ironic if you look at the last couple of posts), this blog is now less about me personally, and more about what I know and what I think. My ideas, my thoughts and links to things I think are interesting. I'll start with lifehacker which is an invaluable source to learning how to be more productive, and generally, live better. I swear by it, and so should you.

Of looking forward

My main ideality in life is to look forward. If you have a problem now, work out what you need to do to correct it, but always look forwards. I'm not saying you should forget the past, since without it, you wouldnt be who you are today. But basically, my idea is that if something shits you, let it go and work out how to fix it for future cases.


Anyway, a quick brief on whats going on with my life:

- I am living with friends in Ballarat, it all goes well, living the life I have always wanted to live
- I am creating a php browser based game, its in early development and should be ready for a beta release in August
- I am doing great at uni and loving every minute of it
- Tonight, I am bored enough to blog


Anyway, thats enough for what I want to discuss publically. Looking forward! next blog in a couple of months! :-p

Of working and the void of time it creates

Thats right, I've finally returned to blog. Im going to end the trend one day of 90% of blog entries starting with the words "Wow, I havent blogged in a while" or similar. Might do it next time I blog.
As any poor uni student does during his holidays, Ive been working. And how. Working as much as possible to get as much as possible so I'm not as poor as possible after I've moved out this year. It's a terrible cycle where you get work, then you get money, but have no time to spend it. So you don't work, spend money and suddenly have no money to spend in your free time.

Also my other projects have suffered a fair bit. But I've spent the weekend getting them back on track. My other computer I am creating is almost ready to be put together, I just need a case for it now. I decided to buy a case last so it uses current trends. Or something. Ill probably just go for a black case with a big power button.
My Java game, Lola (tentative title), is up to the GUI stage, and I'm currently waiting on some advise from devshed as to how exactly to start it. I want to create it so it can be upgraded later as easily as possible, once I have the GUI working, I can start doing some freaky stuff with the game engine I have created. I've been musing and realised that with some slight altercations, I can create multi level dungeons that interact with each other. This game is never going to be finished, because I'm just going to keep adding to it.

My other computer related project, my website is now dead, it will be revived when I get this GUI for Lola under the belt. I have some big plans for that site too, hopefully I can get it on its own url soon.

I have a week off work now, so hopefully I can find a house to move into, finish this computer, get another computer i have working (its stopped for no good reason), and get a start on the website. Ive already moved my room around (about the 5th major move in 3 months) so its good for work.

Java game, computer creation and website building. I'm a nerd.

But I love it.