Dilwyn Jones schrieb:
I notice that Micro$oft have released something called "Small Basic" (it's been around a
while actually) which is a cousin to their QBasic and the like, designed to go with the .net
framework etc. But above all, what got my attention was that it was "designed to put the fun
back into programming."
It's been designed to be a simple to use second generation BASIC and seems to be aimed at
youngsters and people who just want to write quick applications for their own use rather
than being a development system for commercial/free aps as such. There's info about it
here and a "getting started" guide which gives an idea of what it's about.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/devlabs/cc950524.aspx
Is this some kind of admission that people are wanting to go back to simpler,
easier to learn programming systems like our S*Basic for example?
What does everyone else think?
A short thing from the Linux-Corner:
For Linux I don't see C#, .NET or APS.NET as viable options because they
are encumbered by Microsoft which, IMO, eliminates MONO as a viable
language in a Linux environment, IRREGARDLESS that MONO is GPLd. IF
Microsoft "cuts off MONO's air supply" by later restricting trikle-down
of .NET technology MONO becomes and island with no future. Any app or
distro which made MONO its primary support and app development tool
would be toast, setting it back years, or destroying it. Thankfully, NO
distro I know of depends, yet, on MONO, or uses it extensively.
James Plamondon, the man who created the Microsoft "Technical
Evangelist" and posted a "mea culpa" regretting his actions:
http://platformevangelism.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!37F174267DC274C!155.entry
A lot of what he has spread over several webpages and sites is condensed
on this page
http://boycottnovell.com/2008/12/27/microsoft-shills-aka-te-secrets/
In Iowa's "Microsoft vs Combs" lawsuit document PX03096.PDF is entitled
"Evangelism is War!".
In it Plamondon states the Microsoft's goal is NOT to help developers,
it is to help Microsoft.
He goes on:
"The field of battle is the Software Industry. Success is measured in
shipping applications. Every line of code written to OUR standards is a
small victory. Every line of code written to ANY OTHER standard is a
small defeat. Total victory is the universal adoption of OUR standards
by developers, as this is an important step for TOTAL victory by
Microsoft itself."
Do you want to do your part in KILLING Linux or making sure that
Microsoft achieves TOTAL victory, which is the same thing? Then just
adopt C# and MONO as your development tools.
On page 53 of PX03096.pdf is section 8, entitled "The Slog". It is a
tour deforce of Microsoft's unethical and illegal tactics, contained on
this GrokLaw page:
http://digg.com/d1MHAD
which contains the complete text of the PX03096.pdf file. I post it
here. It is long, but it is WORTH the read IF you want to find out how
Microsoft corrupted the OOXML ISO committees. Also, the PDF file has
text copying blocked so this URL is a place where you can capture text
segments easily. So, from the pen of James Plamondon, I present to you
"The Slog":
*8:/ The Slog/ *
Guerrilla marketing is often a long, hard slog.
slog (sl^g) v. slogged, slogqing, slogs. --tr, To strike with heavy
blows, as in boxing. -intr. 1. To walk with a slow, plodding gait.
2. To work diligently for long hours. --n. . 1. long, hard work. 2. A
long, exhausting march or hike. [Orig. unknown.] -slog'ger
/ --American Heritage Dictionary, 1991/
In the Slog, Microsoft dukes it out with the competition. MSDN and
Platform marketing are the regular forces, exchanging blows with the
enemy mano a mano. Evangelism should avoid formal, frontal assaults,
instead focusing its efforts of hit-and-run tactics.
In the Slog, the enemy will counter-attack, trying to subvert your Tier
A ISVs to their side, just as you should try to subvert their ISVs to
your side. New ISVs should be sought, and directed to MSDN's one-to-
many programs. Evangelism should constantly be on the lookout for killer
demos, hot young startups, major ISVs, customer testimonials,
enemy-alliance-busting defections and other opportunities to demonstrate
momentum for our technology. If bugs are found in our technology, or
missing features are found to be critically important, then now is the
time to identify and fix them. Stay engaged with the technology
development team; ensure that you are a valuable resource for them, not
a hectoring pest. Document all of your progress (ideally in regularly
updated internal Web pages) and forward it regularly to management. If
management is not aware of your progress, your successes, and your
stumbling blocks, then they can't help. (They may not help anyway, but
they can't if they don't know what you need.)
Keep those Tier A ISVs on track to delivery! They are your strongest
weapons and cannot be forgotten.
The elements of the evangelical infrastructure - conference
presentations, courses, seminars, books, magazine articles, whitepapers,
etc. -- should start hitting the street at the start of the Slog. They
should be so numerous as to push all other books off the shelf, courses
out of catalogs, and presentations off the stage.
_Working behind the scenes to orchestrate "independent" praise of our
technology, and damnation of the enemy's, is a key evangelism function
during the Slog_. "Independent" analyst's report should be issued,
praising your technology and damning the competitors (or ignoring them).
"Independent" consultants should write columns and articles, give
conference presentations and moderate stacked panels, all on our behalf
(and setting them up as experts in the new technology, available for
just $200/hour). "Independent" academic sources should be cultivated and
quoted (and research money granted). "Independent" courseware providers
should start profiting from their early involvement in our technology.
Every possible source of leverage should be sought and turned to our
advantage.
MS-PCA 1913193
HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL
Generalized Evangelism Timeline / Microsoft Confidential/ Page 9
of 27
_I have mentioned before the "stacked panel"_. Panel discussions
naturally favor alliances of relatively weak partners - our usual
opposition. For example, an "unbiased" panel on OLE vs. OpenDoc would
contain representatives of the backers of OLE (Microsoft) and the
backers of OpenDoc (Apple, IBM, Novell, WordPerfect, OMG, etc.). Thus we
find ourselves outnumbered in almost every "naturally occurring" panel
debate.
_A stacked panel, on the other hand, is like a stacked deck: it is
packed with people who, on the face of things, should be neutral, but
who are in fact strong supporters of our technology_. The key to
stacking a panel is being able to choose the moderator. Most conference
organizers allow the moderator to select the panel, so if you can pick
the moderator, you win. Since you can't expect representatives of our
competitors to speak on your behalf, you have to get the moderator to
agree to having only "independent ISVs" on the panel. No one from
Microsoft or any other formal backer of the competing technologies would
be allowed -- just ISVs who have to use this stuff in the "real world."
Sounds marvelously independent doesn't it? In fact, it allows us to
stack the panel with ISVs that back our cause. Thus, the "independent"
panel ends up telling the audience that our technology beats the others
hands down. Get the press to cover this panel, and you've got a major
win on your hands.
Finding a moderator is key to setting up a stacked panel. The best
sources of pliable moderators are:
-- Analysts: Analysts sell out - that's their business model. But
they are very concerned that they never look like they are selling
out, so that makes them very prickly to work with.
-- Consultants: These guys are your best bets as moderators. Get a
well-known consultant on your side early, but don't let him publish
anything blatantly pro-Microsoft. Then, get him to propose himself
to the conference organizers as a moderator, whenever a panel
opportunity comes up. Since he's well-known, but apparently
independent, he'll be accepted -- one less thing for the
constantly-overworked conference organizer to worry about, right?
Gathering intelligence on enemy activities is critical to the success of
the Slog. We need to know who their allies are and what differences
exist between them and their allies (there are always sources of tension
between allies), so that we can find ways to split 'em apart. Reading
the trade press, lurking on newsgroups, attending conferences, and
(above all) /talking to ISVs/ is essential to gathering this intelligence.
This is a very tough phase of evangelism. You'll be pulled in every
direction at once, randomized by short-term opportunities and action
items, nagged by your Tier A ISVs and pestered by every other ISV that
wants to become a Tier A. Management will want to know /right now/ how
you're going to respond to some bogus announcement by some random ISV.
Some PM over in Consumer will demand that you drop everything to go talk
to an ISV in Outer Mongolia, that's run by an old college chum of his.
Competitors will make surprise announcements, lie through their teeth,
and generally try to screw you just as hard as you are trying to screw
them.
Of course, if you are very, very lucky, there will be no competition to
your technology. But this is almost never the case. ODBC had its IDAPI,
OLE had its OpenDoc, COM had its SOM, DCOM has its CORBA, MAPI had its
VIM, etc., etc., etc. The existence of a Microsoft technology nearly
guarantees that a competitive technology will spring into existence
overnight, backed by an impromptu association of Microsoft competitors
which have decided to draw yet another Line in the Sand ("If we don't
stop Microsoft here, then they are going to take over the whole world!").
Without a competing technology to fight, you just hand everything over
to MSDN, give your Tier A ISVs to PSS, and find a new technology to
evangelize. But that takes most of the fun out of the game :-)"
Being a cheat, a liar and a lawbreaker was "fun" to Plamondon. Notice
how he implies in others his own lack of ethical and moral standards. To
a thief and liar everyone is a thief and liar.
Do not use tools which depend on Microsoft for future enhancements.
GG
Regards.
Norbert
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