● 02.11.09

●● Bill Gates et al Lean on Other Companies to Derail GNU/Linux as “Main Stream Operating System”

Posted in Antitrust, Bill Gates, GNU/Linux, Hardware, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Steve Ballmer at 7:41 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

THIS IS PART of an ongoing series of posts which explore Microsoft’s pressure on Intel. For background, c/f:

Bill Gates: “Where Are We on This Jihad?” (Against Linux at Intel)Microsoft on Intel’s Anti-Linux: “Please Keep Confidential. This is a Nightmare”Bill Gates on Linux@Intel: “This Huge Driver Group Scares Me.”Steve Ballmer: “We cannot let intel do chip design on Linux ever”

Today we dive into Exhibit px06825 (2000) [PDF], which appeared on a public site very briefly in 2007. This details the correspondence going under the subject line “Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture” and this comes from deep inside Microsoft.

Here is Microsoft’s Carl Stork pondering the application of pressure to partners who might support GNU/Linux.

—–Original Message—–From: Carl Stork [mailto:carls@exchange.microsoft.com]Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 9:43 AMTo: Flannigan, SteveSubject: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source VentureHas Intel briefed you on the Open Source development venture they are planning? Does Compaq have any plans to participate in this?

At some stage in the near future we will expose the relationship between Microsoft and Compaq (now part of Hewlett-Packard). It is not an ordinary affair by any stretch of imagination. Anyway, in reply to the above, says Steve Flannigan from Compaq:

From: Flannigan, Steve [mailto:Steve.Flannigan@Compaq.com]Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 11:45 PMTo: Carl StorkSubject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source VenturePer Michael and Gary Campbell, we know what this is and have declined to participate. This is a push to make Linux a “mainstream” operating system, looks like IBM and HP are in the boat with Intel. Pool will be $500M according to rumor.

Half a billion dollars, eh? What does Microsoft’s board have to say about this? Bill Gates writes to Steve Ballmer:

From: Bill GatesSent: Sunday, August 13, 2000 9:59 PMTo: Steve BallmerSubject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture ATTY-CLIENT PRIVWe need to decide how to deal with this on Monday.

Given the previous posts on the subject (see links at the top), we pretty much know how Microsoft handled this type of problem. “Is it legal, Microsoft leaning on other ‘independent’ companies to not use open source,” asked one reader last night. “[It] makes you wonder why the DOJ agreed on a do-not-bundle-IExplorer settlement,” he concludes. █

●●● Appendix: Comes vs. Microsoft – exhibit px06825, as text

**********From: Bill GatesSent: Sunday, August 13, 2000 9:59 PMTo: Steve BallmerSubject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture ATTY-CLIENT PRIVWe need to decide how to deal with this on Monday.—–Original Message—–From: Carl StorkSent: Sunday, August 13, 2000 7:33 AMTo: Brian Valentine; Bob Gomulkiewicz (LCA); David Heiner (LCA); Mike Porter; David W. Williams; Brian Schuster; Bill Veghte; Neil Calvin (LCA); Jim Ewel; Doug Miller; David Thompson (NT); Bill Gates; Steve Ballmer; Paul Maritz; Jim AllchinSubject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Venture ATTY-CLIENT PRIVPrivileged —–Original Message—–From: Flannigan, Steve [mailto:Steve.Flannigan@Compaq.com]Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 11:45 PMTo: Carl StorkSubject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source VenturePer Michael and Gary Campbell, we know what this is and have declined to participate. This is a push to make Linux a “mainstream” operating system, looks like IBM and HP are in the boat with Intel. Pool will be $500M according to rumor.—–Original Message—–From: Flannigan, SteveSent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 2:04 PMTo: Boak, JimCc: Campbell, Gary; Seif, Naila; Becker, RickSubject: FW: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source Ventureanyone know the answer?—–Original Message—–From: Carl Stork [mailto:carls@exchange.microsoft.com]Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2000 9:43 AMTo: Flannigan, SteveSubject: Intel’s ODL Linux/Open Source VentureHas Intel briefed you on the Open Source development venture they are planning? Does Compaq have any plans to participate in this? Plaintiff’s Exhibit 6825 Comes V. MicrosoftMS-CC-MDL 000000396217 HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL **********

Thanks to Jose_X for help with this exhibit

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