On peut compiler les logiciels Microsoft: Ballmer.

En fait, ce sont les gouvernements qui le peuvent selon lui:

«On the particular issues that you highlighted, we have heard the concern, for
example, on national security from a number of governments.We do license our
source code to governments. Governments can look at that source code, see that
source code.»

Titre: What, exactly, did Microsoft's CEO say about Linux and patents? Here's
the transcript.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/arti...567,00.asp

Mais bon, C'est bien beau d'avoir le code source, si on ne le compile pas, on
ne peut pas savoir si l'exécutable est bien compilé à partir de ce code.

Alors quoi, on y est, là? Les gouvernements peuvent employer les logiciels de
Microsoft en les compilant à partir du code? Est-ce que quelqu'un a déjà
entendu parler de ça?

Mais le passage qui a mis tout le monde du libre en furie, c'est celui-ci:

«There was a report out this summer by an open source group that highlighted
that Linux violates over 228 patents. Some day, for all countries that are
entering WTO (World Trade Organization), somebody will come and look for money
to pay for the patent rights for that intellectual property. So the licensing
costs are less clear than people think today.»

How sweet! La menace est directe. Adoptez Linux et, ou vous payerez des prix
de fou pour des brevets bouffons, ou vous ne pourrez participer au WTO.

Sauf que le WTO, ça profite à qui? J'ai l'impression qu'il y a plusieurs pays,
entre autres, en Asie, qui s'en passeraient volontiers si seulement une
organisation vraiment égalitaire prenait sa place.

Au sujet du WTO:

The restructuring of the world economy under the guidance of the
Washington-based international financial institutions and the World Trade
Organization (WTO) increasingly denies individual developing countries the
possibility of building a national economy. The internationalization of
macroeconomic policy transforms countries into open economic territories and
national economies into "reserves" of cheap labor and natural resources. The
state apparatus is undermined, industry for the internal market is destroyed,
national enterprises are pushed into bankruptcy These reforms have also been
conducive to the elimination of minimum wage legislation, the repeal of social
programs and a general diminution of the state's role in fighting poverty.

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/chossu.htm


On excusera mon soi-disant manque d'objectivité, mais Microsoft me fait gerber.

GP