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iM@k · Feb 21, 2008, 12:08 PM

First, let's start with the photo they chose to use for this article. Please make sure to add this to the list with "Sexy Bill"

Then onto the article which the first sentence gets me really going:

Microsoft has announced that it will share some of its trade secrets to improve the ability of its products to work with other software.

So, let me get this right......It's not the Microsoft products that are the problem, it's that everyone else's software that makes MS stuff look bad. So they're going to divulge their secrets (Ie: copy Apple, make your software bloated from the get-go, use psychopaths for your leaders.), which are the things that make MS stuff great?

It gets better:

In a statement released before a news conference in Redmond, Wash., the software giant says it is increasing openness in its computer operating technology to increase opportunities for open source software developers and to support industry standards.

Why do I have a feeling very little of the true open source community is really going to want to make anything for Windows. I'm sure MS is aware of this, and would really prefer that they follow the traditional "Give us money" approach.

So what's going on to cause MS to want to all their naughty naughty secrets? The last line of the article, written as if it were a insignificant side note solves the mystery:

The company also says the changes will help it resolve a dispute with European regulators.

a-HA! Way to go EU! It's not easy to get MS to sweat but apparently you're doing something right! Keep it up.

Full artlicel can be viewed here: Microsoft to share some trade secrets - Boston.com

CharlesS · Feb 21, 2008, 12:14 PM

I'm guessing this is about Microsoft's recent publication of the specifications of their file formats (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). What the heck is wrong with that? It will make it a lot easier for third-party applications such as Pages, OpenOffice, and the rest to be able to open Word documents more accurately (and let's face it, we all need to be able to open these formats).

iM@k · Feb 21, 2008, 12:17 PM

I that is the case, then, yes I agree it's a good thing. As the article doesn't speify, I was led to believe they were talking about windows. Even still, without releasing these "trade secrets", we have a fairly good grasp on office formats as it is.

MacosNerd · Feb 21, 2008, 12:18 PM

I believe these steps are the result of the anti-trust laws with the EU

Chuckit · Feb 21, 2008, 12:21 PM

I don't think it will make it that much easier. By all accounts, the big problem with supporting these formats is implementing two decades of kludges.

Laminar · Feb 21, 2008, 12:25 PM

We still use Office 97 where I work, and frankly, it's pretty much the same as '03.

MacosNerd · Feb 21, 2008, 12:27 PM

iM@k, you seem to have issues with Microsoft You seem to be taking the news reports probably a little more seriously then most people do. While I'm no fan-boy of m$, I do use their products at work and home and they do have some nice products.

iM@k · Feb 21, 2008, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by MacosNerd

iM@k, you seem to have issues with Microsoft You seem to be taking the news reports probably a little more seriously then most people do. While I'm no fan-boy of m$, I do use their products at work and home and they do have some nice products.

What can I say, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool 13th day Mac Evangelist! No matter how much Clorox I use I just can't get it out of me

Chuckit · Feb 21, 2008, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by MacosNerd

iM@k, you seem to have issues with Microsoft You seem to be taking the news reports probably a little more seriously then most people do. While I'm no fan-boy of m$, I do use their products at work and home and they do have some nice products.

I'm trying to come up with one that isn't the Xbox 360 or a mouse and I'm drawing a blank.

SSharon · Feb 21, 2008, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

I'm trying to come up with one that isn't the Xbox 360 or a mouse and I'm drawing a blank.

As a student that wants to record classes, Word 2004 is invaluable to me.

MacosNerd · 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

I'm trying to come up with one that isn't the Xbox 360 or a mouse and I'm drawing a blank.

Office, particularly excel and word
Visio
MS money
Some of their games like age of empire (I admit I haven't touched this in eons).
are a few that come quickly off the top of my head

Edit:
Almost forgot about Bob

goMac · Feb 21, 2008, 01:31 PM

While I would prefer that Microsoft would adopt or create new, clean, open standards, this certainly is a step in the right direction.

analogika · Feb 21, 2008, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by MacosNerd

Office, particularly excel and word

Word isn't a "nice" product; it's a horrendous, overcooked and bloated behemoth whose only justification for existence is installed user-base.

I've been a Microsoft Word user since 1989, and haven't seen a "nice" version of Word since version 5.1a.

d4nth3m4n · Feb 21, 2008, 02:00 PM

laughing your a**... what? jesus man, don't leave me hanging like this.

Jawbone54 · Feb 21, 2008, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by SSharon

As a student that wants to record classes, Word 2004 is invaluable to me.

Seconded. A great feature, along with the smart "points" that mark the text with a spot in the audio feed.

osiris · Feb 21, 2008, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

Word isn't a "nice" product; it's a horrendous, overcooked and bloated behemoth whose only justification for existence is installed user-base.

I've been a Microsoft Word user since 1989, and haven't seen a "nice" version of Word since version 5.1a.

You said it! If OS 9 wasn't dead, I'd still be using 5.1.

It was so clean, simple, and fast.

MacosNerd · Feb 21, 2008, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

Word isn't a "nice" product; it's a horrendous, overcooked and bloated behemoth whose only justification for existence is installed user-base.

I've been a Microsoft Word user since 1989, and haven't seen a "nice" version of Word since version 5.1a.

I disagree, I use word 2003 at work all of the time, and it far surpasses anything else out there. Is it bloated - sure, I'm not going to argue that. Does it get the job done easily and quickly, absolutely. I've had limited use/experience with office 2007 so I cannot comment on that. I don't own office 2008 for the mac so that may or may not be a good product I have no idea.

goMac · Feb 21, 2008, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by MacosNerd

I disagree, I use word 2003 at work all of the time, and it far surpasses anything else out there.

That's Word on Windows. Word 2003 on WIndows was always pretty clean, but the Mac version has always been horribly bloated.

MacosNerd · Feb 21, 2008, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

That's Word on Windows. Word 2003 on WIndows was always pretty clean, but the Mac version has always been horribly bloated.

Yes, I use the office products (on the pc) for my job, where as I don't even own office for the mac.

analogue SPRINKLES · Feb 21, 2008, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

I'm trying to come up with one that isn't the Xbox 360 or a mouse and I'm drawing a blank.

Even the 360 is fun it is by far the junkiest/clunkiest/unreliablest video game system ever made.

Chuckit · Feb 21, 2008, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

Even the 360 is fun it is by far the junkiest/clunkiest/unreliablest video game system ever made.

So far that has not been the case with mine. It's worked far better than any of the original PlayStations I owned (and yes, there were several).

analogue SPRINKLES · Feb 21, 2008, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

So far that has not been the case with mine. It's worked far better than any of the original PlayStations I owned (and yes, there were several).

And same with mine (my first one was DOA though) but all the widespread reports of problems are no lie.

Out of the 8 people I know with a 360 six have had a red ring.

Even when it works as it should though the big assed ugly AC adapter with its own fan is hideous as is the loud as hell DVD drive and fans.

It reminds me of an old buick.

sek929 · Feb 21, 2008, 03:50 PM

The DC and original PS froze more than my 360.

But yes, I am on my second 360.

Agreed about the mice too. My Intellimouse Explorer is going on almost ten years now and works great!

Oisín · Feb 21, 2008, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by d4nth3m4n

laughing your a**... what? jesus man, don't leave me hanging like this.

My thought exactly.

I hate cliffhangers.

Tomchu · Feb 21, 2008, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by iM@k

So, let me get this right......It's not the Microsoft products that are the problem, it's that everyone else's software that makes MS stuff look bad.

Wrong; work on your reading comprehension.

No one is saying anything about problems, nor are they saying that anyone is to blame. In technical terms, "to improve the ability of its products to work with other software" means published specifications and APIs. If it's Microsoft who developed the APIs, and other software wants to make use of/emulate them, then the onus is on the 3rd party to make it happen. Microsoft is simply helping things along now (finally).

Originally Posted by iM@k

So they're going to divulge their secrets (Ie: copy Apple, make your software bloated from the get-go, use psychopaths for your leaders.), which are the things that make MS stuff great?

You are clueless -- 100%. The issue here is about APIs and specifications, and nothing else.

Originally Posted by iM@k

Why do I have a feeling very little of the true open source community is really going to want to make anything for Windows. I'm sure MS is aware of this, and would really prefer that they follow the traditional "Give us money" approach.

You have that feeling because clearly you don't know how the software world actually works. There are already many open-source developers out there who REALLY want to and *DO* make things for Windows, either directly or heavily involving it. Samba and WINE are two major examples. This information, if released without a heavily restriction-laden license, will considerably help both those projects.

A Samba stack that is fully compatible and takes full advantage of the new things that Server 2008 offers is a GREAT thing, but the way these things work is that it's Microsoft developing the specs and APIs, because it's Microsoft's platform, and they don't have to develop these things with Samba in mind. It's simply not their responsibility.

However, said information will greatly help the Samba team in improving interoperability between their *3rd-party implementation* and Microsoft's reference implementation.

Off the top of my head, other big open-source applications for Windows include Firefox, GIMP, Azureus, VLC, OpenOffice, ... and so forth.

I think what I'm trying to say is that you should get your head out of your ass.