Came across this article today at 
http://www.fool.com/News/Take/2003/take030115.htm

With governments from various countries switching to Linux, Micro$haft is 
obviously getting more than a little worried. hehe...  Too late, they've 
missed the potential market in China... too bad... 

Here's an extract from the article:

<extract>
Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is going open source, at least for governments that 
want to inspect its Windows operating system.

Through an initiative called the Government Security Program (GSP), the 
company will give governments and governmental agencies controlled access 
to Windows' underlying code. For a company that has always zealously 
guarded its intellectual property, this is significant. Microsoft has 
opened up its code in the past, to some extent, but this program goes even 
farther.

The software giant will allow governments to review and judge Windows' 
security for themselves. Access will be free, and participants will 
actually make changes to the code, if necessary. Most of the changes are 
expected to be security-related and will vary from agency to agency. In 
addition, Microsoft will reveal technical documents and provide other 
support for the program.
</extract>

The final paragraph being: "By opening up, Microsoft may just end up locking 
down the governmental software market."  - Too late for quite a few 
governments that have already made the switch I would say.  ; )

Sharrea
-- 
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