Loud ramblings of a Software Artisan

UFC-Que Choisir open the file of OS bundling (article in French). About time. The biggest consumers association in France has decided to finally open the file about OS bundling with PC. I hope it create a precedent.

And in an off-the-record discussion recently, I got told that the Microsoft anti-trust trial ruling in the US was also valid in Canada. IANAL, but that sounds interesting.

Some people were wondering why the Chinese president was visiting Bill Gates en route to visit President Bush... I think this is to attempt to reinforce Microsoft monopoly (see reuters for more details).

ZDNet has an interesting article about Microsoft asking UK resellers to always sell Windows, clainming that these 5% or PC sold without Microsoft "tax" are missed business opportunities. I think that Microsoft is starting to get worried. When the FUD starts, that means the current direction is good.

On the side, I just got an e-mail from a fellow Linuxer in Québec. He tried in January to buy a laptop PC advertised without OS by a local reseller/OEM accross the river. The advertising said "no OS installed" and he called to get confirmation from a sales person that the price was really without Operating System. When the buyer told it was ok because he wanted to run Linux, the seller refused, because he was actually require to sell him a Microsoft operating, for a mere.... CAD$250 !!!!

In 2004, the AFUL (Association Francaise des Utilisateur de Logiciels-libres) has requested through a communiqué de presse that the governement support the BSA in reinforcing the fight against counterfeit software, including rogue copy (aka software piracy), and requesting the governement to require the true display of the price of software when sold with hardware. Take it like a joke, but I take it humoristically like a way to express his discontent with the current situation.