What the hell are you talking about? When did this become a Microsoft steals GPL code thread? You make absolutly no sense at all. I don't think you even understand the sacred GPL you keep ranting about. I mean how was Linux in any danger of being patented... Oh wait this is the make stuff up against Microsoft thread right? Now i understand!

PS: No matter what you say IE and Windows will run faster than anything out there so don't even try to argue about that. If your having problems with slow start ups how about your remove all those bonzai buddies from your computer...

Cool it! I was only talking about a hypothetical situation. I replied in answer to what the original poster feared: that Microsoft may become better than Linux by stealing its ideas. I said that there was little chance of that happening.

Did I actually say that Microsoft stole GPL code? First read, and then answer.

Do you want this to become a flame war? Are you trying to make me abuse you? Forget it, won't happen.

This topic is boring me to tears

Why is every statement I make taken to be anti-MS? I don't even use words like

'Microslob or Microsloth' (to name a few).

YAY we agree yes they do feel liek religious debates. I guess I get a bit iritated after seeign all the Microshafts Microslobs, Windoze M$ cracks all the time. And its entirely unproductive. No crap MS is going to go after linux its their only real other competitior. of course there will be lies on both sides. People need to cool their jets a little in each side of the camp. I am not trying to be Pro MS even if I am but I also support linux so I guess I am independent. but anywhoe both sides are ridiculous and always claim outrageous things but you don't have Windows people spreading hacks across the linxu websites now do you?

I also get tired of the old "Linux is about choice and freedom" comments because what people really mean is this "Linux is about freedom and choice so long as you only use linux" or the constant whines about hwo MS bundles OS's with computers well someone needs to do it and some companeis do that now but rmember MS signed these really long contracts back when linux was hardly a viable option for most normal people.

whoops

I never got that impression despite how often i tend to disagree with you, I noticed you tend to have a different view on some thigns you aren't the anti-ms people who are like "HAHAHAHA M$ WindoZe is buggy and crashes al the times hahaha! So insecure"

You know I use three OSes on my system:

1. Windows 98 SE
2. Fedore Core 1
3. BeOS R5

You know. I use all three for different purposes. I need Windows for some things, Linux for others and my brother uses BeOS because he thinks that's the best OS in the world.

And glad to agree with you stabile. There are some things that Linux can't do that Windows can and vice versa.

I don't need to prove a point to Microsoft by not using their OSes (although I have not upgraded in four years - never felt the need to).

I also don't need to prove a point to Linux by using only Microsoft products.

My favourite statement (I made it up):

"The world is big enough for more than two operating systems. Why even your hard disk is big enough, then why not the world?"

lol Exactly. Especially considering most drives are huge today.

Haiku-os is under development now, I think. It's an open-source implementation of BeOS (formerly owned by Be, Inc.)

There is more beyond Windows and Linux, for those whose preference lies outside the two:

Check this out:
http://www.haiku-os.org/learn.php?mo...8786d3ae506967

Yup its currently in devolpment and is based of BeOS. Like you said there are alternatives. I am personally looking forward to project looking glass.

lol if ms has to battle linux, it means it takes it serious, which means more and more ppl will want to know what Linux is.

Thanks MS

They don't have to but this way it looks like they are in competition. Remember Microsoft is always endangered by the government anything they can do to make them selves look less like a monpolgy the better. if you go on a warpath advertising campaign agaisnt Linux then it appears as if they are com,peteing and the Government lays off.

yeah but they still advertise it

In response to the criticism I recieved from Stack for being a Microsoft-basher

Let me assure you that I would love to see a better OS from Microsoft. That would really heat up the competition among the different operating systems and the end-user would be better for it. Really.

All I ask is that, while Microsoft goes about developing their best OS, let them not indulge in unfair trade practices (as they have done in the past) and destroy their competition by unfair means in the process. My fears are not groundless, but based on facts and the history of Microsoft. Can anybody deny this?

Are a majority of the community of Linux a bunch of irresponsible hackers who write viruses for Microsoft OSes and laugh? I don't think so. I guess that less than 1% of the user-base would be involved in such malicious practices which have nothing to do with either Linux or Microsoft or any open-source philosophy.

Is that too much to ask for Microsoft to keep their hands off open-source software and even if they do use it, make sure that they play by the rules of the game and abide by the law?

I don't think so.

Uh ok which I just rebuked it doesn'tmean much MS still controls 94% of the market or 92% of the market in which there is a profit to be made. I am fairly certain they feel quite confident.

Anyways Pretty much MS did what a jaority of corporations do. And its just the way its going to be you can;t have the government in the US stepping in all the time they do enough damage as it is. Asking them not to touch open source stuff doesn't mean much since its in the Open SOurce license that all code must be revealed. However how can one prove wether o not a code is stolen from oepn source and made closed source if you cannot look at the source code?