Gentoo Founder Accepts Job at Microsoft

Judland · Post by **Judland** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 9:35 am

From the Gentoo website...

Daniel Robbins accepts new position with Microsoft, finalizes transfer of Gentoo Technologies IP to the Gentoo Foundation
Posted on June 13, 2005 by g2boojum
gentoo

Gentoo founder and former Gentoo Chief Architect Daniel Robbins began a new position at Microsoft on 23 May 2005. According to drobbins: "I'm helping Microsoft to understand Open Source and community-based projects." While in the midst of hastily packing to move to Redmond, drobbins nonetheless managed to find the time to finalize the transfer of Gentoo's intellectual property (essentially copyrights on ebuilds and other software as well as soon-to-be trademarked Gentoo logos) to the not-for-profit Gentoo Foundation, Inc.

What's amusing to me is, he's not there more than a month and already going to copyright software and trademark the Gentoo logos.

He's suppose to be there to teach MS about open source, but I wonder what he's learning in return.

What else is in store for Gentoo. Hmmmm...

Gates: "Rise! You will now be known as DARTH Gentoo!"

Gomer_X · Post by **Gomer_X** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:21 am

I'll try to keep an open mind, but I don't see this as a good thing. Microsoft is trying to "understand Open Source and community-based projects" for what reason?

I'm willing to believe that Microsoft is starting to get a clue that they need to "deal with Linux." I have a hard time believing, though, that Microsoft's strategy will be to embrace open source with open arms and say "hey, lets be friends and make lots of money together."

I'm willing to give it a chance, though. What if Microsoft really did "get it" and start to leverage Open Source software in a good way? What if gold coins just started shooting out my butt?

I guess I can dream.

Judland · Post by **Judland** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 11:29 am

I'd like to think positively, but Microsoft's track record isn't good.

Up until this point, Microsoft doesn't want to share the industry with other companies or organizations. They want it conquered.

CptnObvious999 · Post by **CptnObvious999** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 5:11 pm

What's too understand about open source? people work together to create and free product. It's not that complicated so either Microsoft is incompitent or he is turning to the 'dark side'. I think it's probly both.

Gomer_X · Post by **Gomer_X** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:27 am

Read "The Cathedral and the Bazaar," by Eric Raymond.
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/cathbazpaper/
There's also an online copy on his site http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/

There's a lot to learn about Open Source software, and the Open Source business model. Of course there's plenty of information available for free on the Internet, but I think buying someone's expertise and exploiting it is more the Microsoft way.