> Yes, it's clear that M$ thinks the immediate threat from Linux is that
> they will loose the server market. However, scary as it is to think
> that they will try to introduce (in effect) propriety protocols, the
> picture you paint shows wht in reality it's not a problem.
> As you said, it's hard enough managing a network with simple and open
> protocols. For M$ to keep OSS on the back foot, they would have to
> constantly "upgrade" (read: change in some subtle and incompatible
> way) their protocols. These upgrades would have to come at a faster
> rate than the OSS community could cope with.
> This is a two-edged sword. If M$ pushes a new protocol or "extension"
> onto the Internet (or even into a corporate LAN/WAN), they will
> *break* that network. It will break because it is simply not possible
> to upgrade all components of a network at once, and older components
> will not understand the new extensions. The result is that the new
> servers will have to be put back the way they were.
Point in case... Kerberos in WindowsNT 5.0 (Windows2000). MS
is defining some "extensions" for some of "their" security issues. A
client can use an MS Kerberos server and access MS and non-MS services.
A client can use a non-MS Kerberos server but will only be able to access
non-MS services. It will not work with MS kerberosized services. Sooo...
In a mixed MS / Non-MS environment, if you want your clients to access MS
services, you will have to have a MS Kerberos server. Guess which way
that slippery slope leads...
> So I don't think their tactic will work. Nevertheless, I think the
> U.S.A. DOJ should take a good look at this internal memo.
In the long run, it probably can't work... In the short run, you
better believe that they CAN make our lives miserable in this "Red Queens
Race" of protocol extensions designed with one purpose in mind - slow down
the OSS juggernaught...
What needs to happen is that the standards organizations, IETF,
IANA, IEEE, OSI, etc, etc, refuse to cooperate with Microsofts attempts
to "extend" protocols unless Microsoft provides complete reference
implimentations of all such extentions.
With any luck, the revelation that this is considered by MS to
be an acceptable business practice, will raise the awareness of the
standards organization to this form of sabatoge...
> Regards,
> Richard....
Mike
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