More Exclusionary Tactics By Microsoft, Et Al

[Edmond Jane <ejane@panama.phoenix.net>]

  I found this on the Linux Homepage. More evidence of Microsoft's
  attempt to strangle anyone who is a threat? Linux is supported by
  thousands of hackers who take no money for writing drivers and
  improvements to the Linux system. Linux has a very fast growing user
  base. Linux might just be conceived to be something of a threat to the
  Greed-Machine From Redmond. It it unlikely that many of them
  could afford to pay $5000 a year for a "license" to belong to
  I-2-O.  Is there anyone who would not bet that Microsoft is again
  trying to kill competition by using their overpowering financial
  advantage? Like, "If you want to sell your hardware to Windows users,
  you may not make its drivers available to Linux users, or we will
  expel you from access to the source code for those drivers." More
  typically Microsoft antitrust, anti-fairtrade behavior.
  
  ************************* 
  
  The I-2-O standard: a threat to free software? 
  
   I2O is a developing standard for high-performance computer
  peripherals. The standard is said to be  "non-proprietary" -- however,
  it is a closed standard that requires a non-disclosure agreement, and
  requires  developers to get a $5000/year license to develop software or
  hardware for it. 
  
   Members can't disclose source code for their drivers, and they must
  stop making hardware or software for  I2O if they lose membership.
  (Members have the power to vote out other members.) 
  
   To say the least, developers for free operating systems will have
  difficulty complying with this standard. If  these I2O peripherals
  become commonplace, Linux developers will find their software blocked
  from  running on PC hardware. 
  
   The backers of this standard include Microsoft, Novell,
  Hewlett-Packard, and NETFrame. 
  
   As an alternative, Software in the Public Interest, the parent
  organization for the Debian project, already  have the second draft of
  a proposal for an Open Hardware Certification program that is starting
  to gain  support. 
  
   More details about the Linux community's response to I2O will be
  available at this site. For more  information about I2O, see their web
  site at http://www.i2osig.org/. 
  
  Edmond Jane
  ejane@panama.phoenix.net
  http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1333