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Microsoft emails Blender

By Pamela Jones et al.

Microsoft has just approached the Blender guys, and I would assume have or will approach other FOSS projects since we learn that Microsoft has assigned a guy to work with Open Source projects, with a request for information on how to make Blender run better on Windows. Here's part of what Microsoft emailed to Blender:

With respect to Blender, what can you tell me about your community/user feedback that you have heard regarding file formats? Specifically, Microsoft is slowly shifting toward a more open standards based approach to its file formats. The ISO standard Office Open XML is an example of the direction we are moving towards. A good user experience of Blender on Windows is good for your project/community and good for Microsoft. What we are trying to understand is what file formats, which are not open or not fully open, are impeding the optimal experience with your community.

OOXML is an example of openness? They're kidding, right?

While on the surface, one might think this is an example of greater openness on Microsoft's part, I thought it would be probably a good time to point out Microsoft's competitive strategy against Linux and FOSS. I think this is an example of its announced strategy to "outsmart Linux", as Ballmer put it, using "openness" -- a Brand X, tilted version of it -- to do it.

Full post as published by Groklaw on May 11, 2008 (boomark / email).