I'm assuming that the fact Microsoft's Silverlight download page automatically links Linux users to Moonlight (quite tastefully!) suggests they have:
A. Started to have somewhat of an epiphany from within and are, in
some departments, actually serious about this whole
"cooperation" thing.
B. Accepted Moonlight as a viable piece of software that they are
ready and willing to recommend to end users without flinching.
C. Pretty brightly endorsed Moonlight, and by extension Mono. (Note
appropriate use of capital letters, by the way. It goes a long
way towards not sounding like a raving lunatic).
Now, on that "cooperation" end of things, people need to come to terms
with the fact that Microsoft is a really, really huge company. There are
lots of human beings in that company, many of them quite intelligent,
who want to make money and put food on their family's table and live
comfortable lives. They are passionate about computer software, like we
are. They are geeks, hackers, they like cool stuff, etc. The XBox
division is quite lovable.
Here's a hint why: Not all of Microsoft depends on Windows' domination,
and Microsoft as a whole can wean itself off the domination instinct as
well, even with Windows. It will take time, though, starting basically
at the level of Western culture.
Microsoft the mega corporation isn't going anywhere soon, so perhaps if
you guys really give a damn about cooperation, freedom, openness and
making the world a better place you should think of the fine folks at
Microsoft (of which there are many) as colleagues who happen to have a
somewhat flawed world view imposed on them from above. With this whole
MS .Net and Silverlight thing, I get a strong sense of that spirit and
it really does feel nice.
Here's the scary part: The group that seems to be most welcoming here,
most warm and honest is Microsoft. While they give us cool little
redirects, members of the Linux "community" set up web sites like
BoycottNovel and initiate witch-hunts against innocent, hard-working and
valuable contributors like Miguel de Icaza and DirectHex while accusing
Microsoft of evil acts every time someone who works for them gives us
the simplest act as a smile.
For the sake of analogy, let's go with the erroneous viewpoint that I am
singly in charge of 95% of the operating system market and had been
talked into opening up. (Doesn't matter how; I'm sure we've all been
talked into doing good things against our own judgement). I have the
choice of either opening up with my standards or looking outwards.
Outside, I see some insane hoard of clucking pitchfork-jugglers who
assassinate every character that isn't 100% pure. Rather than going out
there and trying to talk with them, I think I would go with my own
standards and hope that the flock outside disappears on its own. I
wouldn't do this out of spite, I would do this out of basic survival
instincts.
(Something which I probably should have put into consideration before
writing this message).
I've been tempted to jump ship a few times lately and it has nothing to
do with lawyers, legal agreements or brain-dead CEOs.
Thanks,
Dylan McCall
PS: Please, please stop abusing Miguel. If it wasn't for him, we would
be stuck in the dark ages. And I'm not talking about Mono.
PPS: I know all about the patent agreement thing and am choosing to
ignore it because lawyers and corporations do not trump people. And
here's a reminder: We care about people.
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