On Wed, 18 Jul, 2001 at 23:39 +0100, MJ Ray wrote:
This one could. We all know where Linux fails most: where it's trying to play catch-up to a microsoft-led technology. It's time to stop staring at the competition waiting for them to make the next move and start blazing our own trail. After all, that's where the big advances and successes have been made: new technology.
Um, yeah, let's not get bogged down in paranoia though, eh? Ignore the fact that it is Microsoft for a minute: some very bright minds have sat down and designed a new framework for internet-based applications and services. (That's the new technology bit. It's innovation.)
Now on to catch-up: I don't think we're trying to copy Microsoft here, I think we're trying to provide an Open Source implementation of some good technology.
Remember that Microsoft had a significant input into SMIL and XML (and many other funky technologies and innovations). Should we discard these lest we wind up staring at the competition? Does it matter who the competition is? Surely, if the competition have the cash to employ some extremely talented designers, engineers, geeks etc, shouldn't we let them pay while we steal their ideas? ;-)
Andrew.