Dear Steve,
Hi, this is Francois, from Mandriva.
I'm sure we are way too small for you to have heard of us. You know, we are one of these Linux company who is working hard to make its place in the market. We publish a Linux Distro, called MandrivaLinux. Mandriva Linux 2008, our last edition, has a pretty good review and we're proud of it. You should try it, I'm sure you'd like it. We
also happen to be one of the Linux companies that did not sign an agreement with your company (nobody's perfect).
We recently closed a deal with the Nigerian Government. Maybe you heard about it, Steve. They were looking for an affordable hardware+software solution for their schools. The initial batch was 17,000 machines. We had a good deal to respond to their need: the Classmate PC from Intel, with a customized Mandriva Linux solution. We
presented the solution to the local government, they liked the machine, they liked our system, they liked what we offered them, especially the fact that it was open, and that we could customize it for their country and so on.
News source: Mandriva
Hi, this is Francois, from Mandriva.
I'm sure we are way too small for you to have heard of us. You know, we are one of these Linux company who is working hard to make its place in the market. We publish a Linux Distro, called MandrivaLinux. Mandriva Linux 2008, our last edition, has a pretty good review and we're proud of it. You should try it, I'm sure you'd like it. We
also happen to be one of the Linux companies that did not sign an agreement with your company (nobody's perfect).
We recently closed a deal with the Nigerian Government. Maybe you heard about it, Steve. They were looking for an affordable hardware+software solution for their schools. The initial batch was 17,000 machines. We had a good deal to respond to their need: the Classmate PC from Intel, with a customized Mandriva Linux solution. We
presented the solution to the local government, they liked the machine, they liked our system, they liked what we offered them, especially the fact that it was open, and that we could customize it for their country and so on.
News source: MandrivaThen, your people get in the game and the deal got more competitive. I
would not say it got dirty, but someone could have said that. Your
team fought and fought again the deal, but still the customer was
happy with the CMPC and Mandriva.
We actually closed the deal, we took the order, we qualified the
software, we got the machine shipped. To conclude, we did our
job. And, the machine are being delivered right now.
Now, we hear a different story from the customer : "we shall pay
for the Mandriva Software as agreed, but we shall replace it by
Windows afterward."
Wow! I'm impressed, Steve! What have you done to these guys to make
them change their mind like this? It's quite clear to me, and it will
be to everyone. How do you call what you just did Steve? There is
various names for it, I'm sure you know them.
Of course, I will keep fighting this one and the next one, and the
next one. You have the money, the power, and maybe we have a different
sense of ethics you and I, but I still believe that hard work, good
technology and ethics can win too.
cheers
Francois
PS: a message to our friends in Nigeria: it's still time to do the
right thing and make the right choice, you will get lots of support
for it and excellent services!
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3708961
WARNING: Anyone else thinking of adding their comment to this thread must have read the article in full and be over 15 years or been told "you're so much older then your age".
Mandriva CEO is not complaining because of lost income. He's simply pointing out that MS would go to any extreme to wipe out its competition (including making unprofitable deal via extreme undercutting the competition). It's the reason MS been in court since 1997 in the US and EU.
Just like the whistle blower who alerted the public to the negative health affect of smoking that the tobaco industry was trying so hard to hide. Mandriva CEO has done a public service by posting this open letter so there would be evidence of MS acting anti-competitively.
Why, because MS is a business and likes to make money by offering a cheaper product to a buyer? What a horrible company!
Oh, and Mandriva is still getting paid?
Why, because MS is a business and likes to make money by offering a cheaper product to a buyer? What a horrible company!
Oh, and Mandriva is still getting paid?
sorry, you got it wrong, this story isn't about that. if it was just about that then MS would have won the original competition, but they didn't so they had to go the illegal means as MS does when they have being bested.
Why, because MS is a business and likes to make money by offering a cheaper product to a buyer? What a horrible company!
Oh, and Mandriva is still getting paid?
sorry, you got it wrong, this story isn't about that. if it was just about that then MS would have won the original competition, but they didn't so they had to go the illegal means as MS does when they have being bested.
I'm curious where you got "illegal means" out of this entire argument. It's simple business. The nigerian govt agreed to a deal with Mandriva. The order went through and Mandriva got paid. They then made a deal with Microsoft to replace their machines with windows based platforms (yes... businesses, and even governments, are allowed to change their minds). It's simple competition.
Ever watch the show The Office? Notice how their salesmen go after potential clients who already have deals with other vendors? Same concept and this is the way competition works. You honestly think MS should just roll over and say "OMG they went with Mandriva! I guess we're totally out of the picture and have no chance to do business with them anymore!".
Bottmline, if you believe this is "illegal" in any way or even a low blow, you're dillusional as to the way that business works. Contracts with your clients are always susceptible to competition.
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/07/11/02/m...g-nigerian-scam
Should Steve Ballmer write a note complaining about people who buy machines with windows preinstalled and format it to put *nix on it? I dare say more than 17,000 PC's a year go that way.
The letter clearly says that the Nigerian government agreed to buy the machines. I doubt their contract said that the Nigerian government cannot install whatever OS they want to.
Microsoft is a business and they are going to fight to gain and keep customers. You cant expect Microsoft to just stand by and lose market share.
Microsoft is a business and they are going to fight to gain and keep customers. You cant expect Microsoft to just stand by and lose market share.
It's not like Microsoft has ever been found guilty of illegally leveraging their desktop marketshare to unfairly influence other markets!
Microsoft is a business and they are going to fight to gain and keep customers. You cant expect Microsoft to just stand by and lose market share.
It's not like Microsoft has ever been found guilty of illegally leveraging their desktop marketshare to unfairly influence other markets!
I don't see anything illegal here.
I see that MAndirva made a deal with the government, MS then made them a better deal, and Mandriva goes whining, it seems to be oe of the thigns the Linux/Open source community is best at.
Sure it may be questionable ethics, But I don't really apply ethics to bsuiness like thisanyway. ethics I'd apply if it was a comany sellings drugs that could help starving kids or something. but this is a competitivie market. even Mandriva and the linux ditstro's needs to accept this. and play the game as the others play it. not just expect everyone to play nice.
Microsoft is a business and they are going to fight to gain and keep customers. You cant expect Microsoft to just stand by and lose market share.
It's not like Microsoft has ever been found guilty of illegally leveraging their desktop marketshare to unfairly influence other markets!
I don't see anything illegal here.
I see that MAndirva made a deal with the government, MS then made them a better deal, and Mandriva goes whining, it seems to be oe of the thigns the Linux/Open source community is best at.
Wait up, they didn't just make a deal, they won the contract, the competition was over Mandirva had won.
But MS was unable to except that so they had to go do something dodgy, which seems to be one of the things MS is best at.
Microsoft is a business and they are going to fight to gain and keep customers. You cant expect Microsoft to just stand by and lose market share.
It's not like Microsoft has ever been found guilty of illegally leveraging their desktop marketshare to unfairly influence other markets!
I don't see anything illegal here.
I see that MAndirva made a deal with the government, MS then made them a better deal, and Mandriva goes whining, it seems to be oe of the thigns the Linux/Open source community is best at.
Wait up, they didn't just make a deal, they won the contract, the competition was over Mandirva had won.
But MS was unable to except that so they had to go do something dodgy, which seems to be one of the things MS is best at.
This isn't a childrens competition.
There is no we eon, now you can't deal with them.
Mandriva won the contract to sell them computers wih MAndriva installed, and to support any Mandriva installs they use.
The government then chose to make another deal with MS to buy Widnows and a support deal for Windows from them. But hey Mandriva still has a deal to support their Mandriva installs... They chose not to have any Mandriva installs.. tough luck.
Mandriva and you both act like kid that's been told he has to shre the sandbox witht he other kids in the kindergaden.
get over it
Bashing? Is being concern about a country bashing now? You economic sociopaths really don't realize what you're doing to your country. Do you?
Bashing? Is being concern about a country bashing now? You economic sociopaths really don't realize what you're doing to your country. Do you?
Yeah, cause what you are saying REALLY sounds like "concern." It is pretty hard to take someone seriously when they use words like "economic sociopaths." What does that even mean?!
I wouldn't bother Foub, most people are completely oblivious to what is happening in this country, malcontent with their own lives and the dream of fortunes and money symbols in their eyes. They don't understand that greed cannot sustain itself; instead they create reasons and justifications while ignoring the resulting decay of society.
Just like with religion.
An economic sociopath is someone who doesn't see anything wrong with making profit by any means including that which is completely immoral and unethical. i.e. Enron. They are what's wrong with America and the average American has to pay for their greed with substandard food because it is more profitable to import it from China than to grow it at home even if it endangers lives. America now imports far more food than it produces for itself. Another country doesn't have to invade the USA, they can just foreclose.
but then again its nigeria, with curses and voodoo dolls and people that sacrifice kids and stuff... maybe microsoft made a deal to donate 15 employees to be sacrificed ?
and im not a linux expert..but from my experience with mandriva
windows>linux period for the avg home user or gamer
no that isn't the goal, there are laws out there you know? As someone said before, if this happened in Europe ou USA MS would be prosecuted.
EXCEPT these are educational pcs, they are not for home users nor gamers!
And the main reason people think windows>linux is because they started with windows. If someone starts with linux and, let's say, 5 years later takes a look into windows, he or she won't like it. That's why MS doesn't care much about piracy. Because when someone (average person, not computer enthusiast) know how to work with an OS, will almost for sure prefer that OS.
no that isn't the goal, there are laws out there you know? As someone said before, if this happened in Europe ou USA MS would be prosecuted.
EXCEPT these are educational pcs, they are not for home users nor gamers!
And the main reason people think windows>linux is because they started with windows. If someone starts with linux and, let's say, 5 years later takes a look into windows, he or she won't like it. That's why MS doesn't care much about piracy. Because when someone (average person, not computer enthusiast) know how to work with an OS, will almost for sure prefer that OS.
u have a point there
i started my mom off on linux and she loves it(i put ubuntu on her pc to avoid her getting viruses and stuff)
Microsoft's support is pretty good actually, and I believe support is an important factor in a case like this.
Nigerian government: RTFM!!!
well, support for the free versions, yes. But have you heard out of Red Hat, or Novell, or IBM? When some things get commercial ou governmental it isn't the same support as for the end home user.
yes, but when Nigeria had time to decide, both mandriva and MS where on the run. Then suddenly BEFORE they really see the computers AND AFTER the deal is closed, they state they will change them to windows. How weird is that? How could they find the support bad BEFORE they had the equipment?
Grow up. Working to land new contracts is business as usual, whether you are marketing to new clients who don't yet use anyone's services or ones who already use your competition (like in your case). Instead of writing these whiny little letters, concentrate on building more attractive products and more secure contract templates.
Have you actually read the story and actually understood it? Or are you too much of a windows fan boy, that unfair business practices are OK? Do you understand that if this happened in the EU and maybe in the US then Microsoft would find itself in deep doo ddo, instead of trying to do deals by bribery, maybe MS should concentrate on winning business deals fairly rather then through the back-door.
Have you actually read the story and actually understood it? Or are you too much of a windows fan boy, that unfair business practices are OK? Do you understand that if this happened in the EU and maybe in the US then Microsoft would find itself in deep doo ddo, instead of trying to do deals by bribery, maybe MS should concentrate on winning business deals fairly rather then through the back-door.
Ok, but the point is that this IS NOT THE US OR EU!
When did US or EU law become world law? Now we are ragging on Microsoft when they are acting within the law?! Does that honestly make sense?
In some countries, it is within the law to kill women that show their hair. Should we kill Americans and Europeans women that show their hair? Honestly, give me a break.
Where in the letter did it say bribery? Did YOU read the letter?
When did US or EU law become world law? Now we are ragging on Microsoft when they are acting within the law?! Does that honestly make sense?
In some countries, it is within the law to kill women that show their hair. Should we kill Americans and Europeans women that show their hair? Honestly, give me a break.
er.... I think you are a bit confused... your example is great but you analysed it the wrong way.
What some people were saying is that although the nigerian law doesn't forbid these practices they are wrong and unethical. Taking your example it isn't "to kill Americans and Europeans women that show their hair" it is - it is wrong to kill women that show their hair. if it was in EU ou USA that would be forbidden.
Ethics has nothing to do with the law.
do YOU know how to read between the lines?
For future reference, no self respecting CEO will respond positively to an open letter. By and large, theyre written by people trying to garner free media support rather than deal mono e mono on an issue. Also shows a lack of funds for lawyers.
For future reference, no self respecting CEO will respond positively to an open letter. By and large, theyre written by people trying to garner free media support rather than deal mono e mono on an issue. Also shows a lack of funds for lawyers.
For future reference, no self respecting CEO will respond positively to an open letter. By and large, theyre written by people trying to garner free media support rather than deal mono e mono on an issue. Also shows a lack of funds for lawyers.
You have it half right. Look at all the media reports around us. Who wins the vast bulk of legal cases? The teams with millions of dollars/yen/euros, or the teams funded by free beer? That doesnt make money to be equal to morality, that just means the almighty dollar is the deciding factor.
If Francis was genuine, he should have kept his mouth shut and just talked to 'the opposition' quietly...and THEN expose Balmer's position.
Less crying, more time making your OS suck less. Recipe for success. Then again, as with most Redhat derivatives, making it suck less is a hard task indeed.
Less crying, more time making your OS suck less. Recipe for success. Then again, as with most Redhat derivatives, making it suck less is a hard task indeed.
Again another one that didn't actually read the story. By you comment, it would seem that Mandriva is aactually the OS that doesn't suck and it is Windows that SUCKS cause Mandriva ACTUALLY WON
But MS was unable to stand losing so they made a deal after the competition was over.
Are you getting it now?
I don't blame Nigeria. If I wanted an iPhone, I'd wait until I had enough money to purchase the genuine article rather than buying a Chinese knockoff.
Last edited by XP1 on 05 Nov 2007 - 02:26
right. i'm sure they were doing backflips. because it was open source.
or, perhaps they didn't give a **** about that and were just looking at the numbers.
What, exactly, does he think this will accomplish? "Dear Steve... Microsoft won the customer, again, but I am asking you to please step back so I can win them over again with 'lots of support...and excellent services!'
It sucks when you lose to the software giant. But crying "victim" won't make anyone feel sympathetic to your cause.
it was a waste of time writing it and waste of time reading it
PUNK-A$$ Twits who have had their only experience in the REAL business & economy within a Milton-Bradley Monopoly box.
If Linux-o-philes and penguin-lovers would get the clue and act in a civil & civilized manner instead of pulling childish pranks like this, people wouldn't turn their noses at Linux.
--ScottKin
More computers is just what Nigeria needs, to have more Nigerian 419 Scammers out to rid dumb ass Westerners of their hard earn cash.
Personally the only computer I would send to Nigeria are those being sent to China for scrap.
I am a firm believer that 99.8% of the poulation of Nigeria are scammers after all it's the only way to make a living
over there.
I'm sure Stevie B is laughing now, but wait till Nigeria pulls the wool over his eyes too screw MS around on this deal.
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