== Microsoft's VS Free Software == Why does Microsoft deserve special casing among all companies producing proprietary software? Because **Microsoft is the only company that actively and repeatedly tried for years to kill FreeSoftware and Linux.** 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 out of business in the conventional ways. steve_ballmer_bill_gates_i_wish_i_knew_how_to_quit_you.jpg === Targeting GNU/Linux === * [[http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/09/linux-foundation-to-microsoft-stop-secretly-attacking-linux.ars | Selling Linux related patents to trolls ]] (Sep 2009) * [[http://www.ditii.com/2009/09/08/microsoft-linux-vs-windows-7-slideshow-for-retailers-targets-linux/ | Linux vs Windows 7 slides for retailers]] (Aug 2009) * [[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 * $25M spent for "[[http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-870805.html | We have the way out!]]" anti-Unix campaign 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) * The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Live_ID#Problems | Passport]] authentication scheme (aka Microsoft Wallet, aka Windows Live ID (2007). * Tactic for [[http://www.groklaw.net/articlebasic.php?story=20071023002351958|taking over standard panels]] by controlling the moderator (1997-2008). === 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) * [[http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2010/10/microsoft-posts-video-of-customers-criticizing-openoffice.ars|Video against OpenOffice]] and OpenSource in general (2010) * [[http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20110322014831856|Undercover Microsoft lawyer]] attacks Android for alleged GPL violations (2011) * [[http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/when-patents-attack-android.html|Patent attack on Android]] from Microsoft, Apple and Oracle (2011). === Targeting Free Software licenses and development model === * [[http://jan.wildeboer.net/2011/02/microsoft-absolutely-no-free-software-for-windows-phone-and-xbox-apps/|Exclude GPLv3 and other copyleft licenses from Windows Phone and XBox appstore]] (2011) * Claiming the GPLv3 is invalid and unenforceable (in the context of distributing the Novell "vouchers" to customers) * 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]] (FUD) * [[http://www.codeplex.org/|CodePlex foundation]] -- Motivation behind this initiative is still unclear (as of Sep 2009) === Targeting Microsoft's own customers === * [[http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2010/06/microsoft-slips-ie-firefox-add-on-into-toolbar-update.ars | Microsoft hides mystery Firefox extension in toolbar update]] == Help wanted! == Please help expand and verify this list! Each claim should come with links to supporting material.