Open-source advocates are up in arms over a quote by a Microsoft official suggesting that collaborative software is still not as sturdy as commercially created programs. Jonathan Murray, vice president and chief technology officer of Microsoft Europe, made the controversial argument in a new BBC documentary:
Some people want to use community-based software, and they get value out of sharing with other people in the community. Other people want the reliability and the dependability that comes from a commercial software model. And again, at the end of the day, you make the choice based on what has the highest value to you.
Mr. Murray’s comments are hardly outrageous. But they’re likely to further chill Microsoft’s already icy relationship with the open-source community — a relationship that the company has recently tried to patch up. (CNET News)
