I hear, in my head, the famed quote from Rodney King: “why can’t we all just get along?” Microsoft this week has started saber-rattling against Linux and other open source projects, by suggesting that they infringe on 235 patents that they hold. Of course, we all know that many of these patents were dubious to begin with – UI and business process patents that had no business being granted to anyone in the first place. It’s “Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt” all over again.
Of course, the 800 pound gorilla doesn’t actually have to sue anyone. Just threatening to sue, threatening to get license fees (which, for some open source projects would be a major problem) is enough to make people doubt the future of open source.
It’s all about fear, really. Microsoft is a powerful company, with a lot of money in the bank, and a near ubiquitous market penetration in some quarters. Why can’t they just focus on making good software? The software will speak for itself (or it won’t.) It is amazing to me how much of what happens in business and within organizations is around fear. Fear that a company will lose market share, fear that they will stop growing as fast so that the stock price will fall, fear of competition. And, then, of course, helping to make other people afraid – afraid that an open source project or company will fold because someone sues them. Afraid that they might indeed have infringed on patents.
It makes me think a lot about how much we are governed by fear – even in the realm of things that seem only technological. But, of course, underneath, and around all of those bits and bytes are just human beings, after all.
Technorati Tags: intellectualproperty, opensource
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I think that (more broadly than Microsoft) business is focused on quantified fear — a.k.a. risk. In high finance, risk is basically currency at this point (I’ve been reading The Economist — does it show?).
There’s a divide that’s opened up in the eoncomic world: if you want to make up to a million dollars or so, then do something and do it well (e.g., make functional software). If you want to make 100 million or more, then invest and know your risk.
My point is that companies like Microsoft have almost nothing to do with providing good software — the marginal gain from selling better software is miniscule in comparison with the potential income from spreading some FUD and reaping the benefits as everyone re-evaluates their risk positions.
Wow, Dustin, you have been reading the economist. :-) That’s an interesting perspective on the issue – and it makes a lot of sense.
The idea of “quantified fear” and it’s translation to money is fascinating – and makes me think about all sorts of ways that corporations do that sort of thing…