Heard today that Microsoft is recruiting some folks I know to help them think about how to deal with the "threat" of open source. This is so sad, and such a dumb move by a company that prides itself on smarts.

Some of the best work Microsoft has done is open source. The @#$%&* Net , which they profess to love, is full of open source stuff. It's not a threat. It's a building method. It's also necessary for building common infrastructure in and around the Net. There is a huge opportunity for Microsoft to participate in that work, which is not the exclusive job of the open source movement.

What the open source movement needs more than anything else right now is the edifying influence of real customers with real problems that need real solutions. You don't need to be a buyer or a seller to participate in a market's conversation. Microsoft knows markets, knows customers. It can help.

Steve, Bill. Come on. Drop the defenses. Help us out here. Don't worry about the trust issue. Just look at the work that needs to be done and pitch in with the rest of us, for the good of the markets that can only grow when their common infrastructure is built to support everybody.

Shameless cross-promotion

I'll be on the webio tonight. The venue is OpenSource Radio, and one topic will be the other show on which I'm a regular, The Linux Show. (Addendum: the show just wrapped and it was big fun. Great guys. It will be repeated a few more times. Check the site to find when.)

Giving new meanage to the word suckage

Here's a whois for Karl Rove.

I only regret that I have but one blog to speak for my country

Chris Macrae has taken on a rather large journalistic project. Details here.

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