[K12OSN] needed: recommendations for Linux flavor with ongoing support

[Gentgeen]

On Wed, 3 Jan 2007 18:32:07 -0800
"Robert Arkiletian" <robark at gmail.com> wrote:

> And for anyone that
> buys the BS that this deal was about creating better interoperability,
> all I have to say is M$ has been hard at work doing it's best to
> thwart Linux-Windows compatibility for a long time.

This justification of the deal just makes me laugh!!

(NOTE: this message is not directed at anyone on the list, just feeling
the need to add my own $0.02 to the argument.)

If MS _REALLY_ wants to help with the "Linux/Windows compatibility", all
they would have to do is start following the _STANDARDS_ already in
place.  Not try to create there own, or tack on their crazy crap on top
of the standards they are already "following" (XML comes to mind for
Word).  

As a company, they make a concise decision between (1) Following
standards already in place or (2) by creating new formats of their own.

By going with (1) they _INSTANTLY_ create interoperability between them
and everyone else, no extra work needed.  And they get to save
man-hours, and money by building on top of something already in place.

By going with (2) they limit (if not completely eliminate)
interoperability between them and others.  The have to put extra
man-hours and money into building their format from the ground up.

Don't get me wrong, there are both _VERY_ valid ways of doing business. 
Anyone, in any line of work, needs to make these kind of decisions all
the time.  Both have there own set of positives and negatives. (leave it
up to the ready to make a list :-) ) _BUT_ it is a decision that is made
by the company/individual. No agreements between different parties need
to be made.  IT IS COMPLETELY INTERNAL.

If MS _REALLY_ wanted to make things more compatible, then all they
would have had to do is go with decision #1.  NO BUSINESS DEAL NEEDED. 
This is why I can't not help but think that there is some kind of
ulterior motive here at play.    

P.S. - I know there is also a combo of the two, were you build something
from the ground up, but you work "openly" so others can see, and
eventually build on what you started.  But I my mind that more or less
falls into the #1 area.  WORK WITH (OR CREATE NEW) OPEN STANDARDS THAT
ANYONE CAN USE/SHARE BUILD APON.
 
-- 
http://gentgeen.homelinux.org

#############################################################
 Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem    
 your own reputation; for 'tis better to be alone then in bad 
 company.        - George Washington, Rules of Civility