LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Richard Russell <richardrussell@internode.on.net>
  To  : Alan Kennington <akenning@topology.org>
        LinuxSA <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 00:54:11 +0930

RE: commoditi[sz]ing?

> Richard,
>
> I'm very grateful to you for that.
> Ever since the Halloween documents, I've been trying to figure it out.

no worries :)

<snip>

> In fact, it also suggests that MS sees protocols as software.
> I.e. they don't know the difference between a protocol and an
> implementation, which every protocol engineer knows are two
> completely different things.
>
> So when MS people say that protocols are becoming commoditised,
> that translates to "protocol implementation software is
> becoming commoditised, because the protocols are open,
> non-proprietary standards".

Well, it suggests that the MS copy writers see protocols as software. In
their line of work, it's more important to get the general idea across than
to be technically accurate... :)

> This convinces me more than ever that MS people just don't
> understand the way the Internet and Unix worlds work.

they don't need to, btw -- they need to understand how their customers'
worlds work, and this is generally the business world, and they understand
that well... :)

> In these worlds, standards, standardised interfaces,
> standard file formats and open specificiations are all _good_.
> That's because we want interoperability, portability etc.
> But in the MS world view, these things are bad, because
> they are the opposite to monopolisation. You can't be a
> monopolist if interfaces are standardised.

exactly, hence .doc format closedness and changes, kerberos embrace and
extend, exchange, etc... If I was in their situation, I would do the same --
they need to capitalise on their assets, and make the most profit they
can... it's their duty as a company.

rr

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