It’s been a while since the letter to Steve Ballmer went out from the president of Mandriva. I did not read it until just a few minutes ago, but had read others who write in this space saying it was just “whining from a loser” about getting bested in the open market.

Well, Mandriva certainly did get bested in the open market. The questions I have are a bit more than what has been put forth thus far. First, I tend to wonder why the fanboys and apologists for Microsoft feel the need to state that Mr. Bancilhon was a whiner. His letter certainly did not seem whiny to me. It did, however, get the point across. Microsoft is a bully, with all the money in the world (compared to a small Linux distributor), and managed to get its way by its sheer size and the fact that no one in the Nigerian government can see past a good deal today (and a lot of graft).

The people at Microsoft are willing to put out great deals of money now, and accept large current losses, in order to have a vise grip on the country and its schools down the line. If it was not for the sake of the children, I would say that it was ok, and let the government of that country, in their overbearing greed suffer. But it is the children who will suffer. Microsoft will stop giving the freebies, and like the drug dealer on the corner, the junkies will soon be permanently forsaken.

Apparently no one in the entire world is willing to stand up to the hydra that is Microsoft, with one head showing generosity and good will, while the other eight are secretly bleeding those least prepared to do anything about it dry. The world is a savage place.

Here is the letter, so that you may judge the degree of whining for yourself -

Dear Steve,

Hi, this is François, 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 Mandriva Linux. 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.

Then, 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

François

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!

 

further from the Ziff Davis interview with Francois Bancilhon -

Kids should learn Windows anyway
I asked Mr. Bancilhon specifically how he addresses OSS detractors, many of whom say that kids should be using Windows anyway to prepare for what they are likely to see in the “real world”. His answer surprised me, but actually made a lot of sense. He reminded me that there are currently 8000 languages spoken on Earth. If, as predicted, by the end of the century, 6000 of these will disappear, there will still be 2000 languages spoken worldwide; Windows is currently available in about 50 languages. The solution, therefore, as he sees it, is not to have 1 software manufacturer, but to offer open solutions so that local people can be involved and do their own localizations and distribution. His final statement on the matter reads like a company slogan, but certainly isn’t a bad banner behind which OSS supporters can stand. His solution is to “replace monopoly with choice.”

When I asked him about the future of OSS in developing markets and potential segmentation (e.g., education vs. private sector), he reiterated that the value of Linux is in its suitability for extensive local customization. Different segments of each market obviously have different needs, which can be met by local partners. As he noted, the right way to enter this market is through education. “People are smart enough to move from one system to another,” he said. Clearly, whatever platform they start on, appropriate education should allow them to be effective users of technology. He drew a parallel to learning multiple languages and the advantage that offers for students.

Wow, it seems that the man has a point. These Linux guys may not be bucks up, but intelligence will make up for some of that. If only they had a shot at an only slightly inclined playing field, instead of a sheer wall on an impenetrable obelisk.

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Tags: mandriva linux, classmate pcs, nigerian deal, microsoft