== Microsoft's VS FreeSoftware == Why does Microsoft deserve special treatment among all the companies producing proprietary software? **Microsoft is the only company that actively and continuously tried to kill FreeSoftware and Linux for several years.** This is a collection of a variety of strategies attempted by Microsoft against an extremely resilient competitor that couldn't be simply brought or driven to bankruptcy. steve_ballmer_bill_gates_i_wish_i_knew_how_to_quit_you.jpg === Targeting GNU/Linux === * [[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/02/ballmer_linux_is_a_cancer/ | Linux is a Cancer]] -- Steve Ballmer, CEO (2001) * [[http://www.linux.com/feature/8374 | Linux is un-American]] -- Jim Allchin, Windows chief officer (2001) * Microsoft suspected behind SCO's "smoking gun" attacks against Linus Torvalds * Microsoft paying a "think tank" to bribe Tanembaum to accuse Linus Torvalds of stealing Minix's code * Software patent lobby at the EU parliament * "Get the Facts!" (AKA "Get the FUD!") campaign * "We have the way out!" campagin with Unisys === Targeting Linux distributors === * Paying Novell with "vouchers" for unclear [[http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-makes-Linux-pact-with-Novell/2100-1016_3-6132119.html | patent and "interoperability" pact]] (2007) * Paying Novell again (2008) * Attempting to [[http://olpcnews.com/sales_talk/microsoft/how_microsoft_got_xp_on_the_xo.html | take over OLPC]] (2005) * Attempted patent deal with [[http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/06/19/1720201 | Red Hat and Canonical]] (2007) === Targeting hardware vendors === * [[http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/15/technology/microsoft_olpc.fortune/index.htm | Undisclosed deal between Bill Gates and Nicholas Negroponte]], disrupting OLPC (2008) * Dumping Linux in Australia on the Asus EEE PC (2008) === Internet market share === * Commissioning [[http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/05/07/0531210 | biased benchmarks]] to make Windows look better than Linux (2005) * Make IIS look better in [[http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2006/04/06/april_2006_web_server_survey.html | Netcraft's web server survey]] by convincing domain registrars to use Windows servers for parked domains (2006) === Targeting Apple === * Fake "Mac switchers" campaign with stock photos of models * The "I'm a PC" campaign (2008) === Targeting open standards === * Creating OOXML to disrupt the Open Document Format. * Bribe ISO into accepting OOXML (2008) * Passport === Targeting specific FLOSS projects === * Bribe Blender (2008) * Bribe PHP (2008) * [[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/25/microsoft_gpl/ | $100K bribe to Apache Software Foundation]] (2008) * The [[http://www.microsoft.com/uk/servers/winclientshearts/ | Windows loves PHP]] campaign to promote the WAMP platform (2008) === Targeting OpenSource licenses and development model === * Claiming the GPL is invalid and unenforceable * The [[http://www.catb.org/~esr/halloween/ | Halloween documents]] (1998-2004) * Microsoft claims that [[http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-152099.html | OSS violates 235 (unspecified) patents]] == Help wanted! == Please help expand and verify this list! Each claim should come with links to supporting material.