The Corporate Hypocrisy that is Microsoft

This article was brought to my attention by the estimable Crabby. This is annoying because

(a) I use Trillian and really like it because I only have to run one chat client to talk to other people.

(b) MS was whining like a baby when AOL blocked them from using their protocol.

August 22, 2003 10:29 AM
3 Comments

I use Trillian as well and was at first quite dismayed at this news. However, if you check on Trillians development forums there is some talk about this. The Pro 2 version of Trillian already has upgraded to the new protocol and apparently the 0.74 (free) version is soon to follow. They have it all under control apparently.

You see the issue with Microsoft (if you read closely) is not that they are blocking just 3rd party IM software but all programs that use the old protocols. That includes their own. I'd say this is just another case of people reading too much into MS's actions. Trying to find something to blame them with.

Yes I write open-source software and run Linux but that doesn't mean I have to be blinded with hate. =)

Pondered by mkrueger at August 24, 2003 03:06 PM

Thanks for clearing that up. I had looked at trillian's site to see if they had anything about that and hadn't found anything, but I didn't check the dev. forum.

Given MS's track record, though, I do think its easy to see why people would be suspicious that this could be a ploy to cut their nose to spite their face (or however the saying goes).

Pondered by maphet at August 24, 2003 06:21 PM

Yes indeed, I would agree concerning the track record. At the same point just because someone is guilty of past trespasses doesn't mean we assume guilt in the future. It's a hard line to balance and I'm usually the first to suspect alternative motives... in this case with Microsoft... I'm thinking they are in fact planning to cut everyone else, but they are doing it in such a way that is not obviously direct. What is the cited reason for this "upgrade"? "Security Measures" What's Microsoft's policy on patches? "Never release a fix that doesn't include new functionality." I'd say this is a slick way to move Messenger into a position that will allow them to lock everyone else out in the future. Much in the same way that IE has been worked into the OS as an integral part so as to silence all future litigation concerning its removal. Sure it was a stand lone product before... no longer. *Pats Linux box on the monitor* I don't know what I'd do without my *nix boxes.

Pondered by mkrueger at August 25, 2003 03:00 PM