Google, IBM, Red Hat, Sun and the Digistan Connection

Another anti-Microsoft (MSFT) front group has emerged in favor of “free and open standards,” hyping what it calls the Hague Declaration and making some absurd connection to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The propagandists, partially funded by publicly traded companies, have a little trouble describing what that term “free and open standards” means (or even using it consistently), but the group has no trouble indicating its political stripes. Unbelievably it calls itself Digistan, apparently to identify with the fascist terrorists based in countries and regions using the Farsi-based suffix “stan.”

All of these front groups percolate around about two dozen individuals, mostly European. The vast left-wing conspiracy of George Soros works around the edges of their mostly web-site-only organizations. But there is a profit motive. Some seem to exist to raise money from public companies in order to hold conferences at excellent venues. Others run consulting companies to advise governments how to follow “free and open standards” or law firms that write licenses that follow “free and open standards.”

If only these lefties could be time warped back to the last century so that they could ‘fight the right’ in Spain (or sit in the Les Deux Maggot and talk about fighting the right in Spain). Then the rest of us could avoid having our tax dollars wasted and our share values diminished.

Digistan claims it has only individuals, not businesses or organizations, as members. But looking at the founders’ affiliations illustrates that the group goes right back to the same Microsoft-competitor-based organizations that are trying to manipulate free markets via government intervention around the world. Like many of the other anti-Microsoft organizations related to these same individuals, Digistan was likely created for some “critical” current event that only the founders recognize as critical and will fade away when that event passes All the while the shareholders of IBM (IBM), Red Hat (RHAT), Sun (JAVA) and others are seeing their share value diminished by every dollar wasted on donating to them or sponsoring their events.

Digistan was launched thanks to a grant from the Information Program of Open Society Institute (the George Soros connection) and matching grants from OpenForum Europe and the European Software Market Association. The latter does not list its sponsors but the former is the front group behind other front groups like NOOOXML and Document Freedom Day (that’s right--it’s all the same bizarre cast of characters back again to waste your money). The OpenForum Europe's events, as well as possibly the organization itself, have been sponsored by Google (GOOG), IBM, Red Hat, and the ODF Alliance (which of course is closely tied to Sun because ODF--the Open Document Format--is Sun’s document format standard).

If it wasn’t for the implied association with terrorism it would be funny.

Comments

[reason]

Dinosaur

[Dannyboy]

Wow, talk about propaganda. This article is too heavy on the politics and lacking in technology merit. The problem of focusing on the politics and social innuendo of the words "free" and "open" is that you miss the other more technological implications, the fact the software is "free" and "open" :) Why invest your development resources on something you don't have control over. To me "open" and "free" make perfect capitalistic sense.

[JohnMurphy]

Dennis, thanks for the insightful and well-researched post. I'm incensed that volunteers would waste their time organizing something as radical and inflamatory as digitstan, obviously using tax payers money to do it. Presumably Euros, not Dollars, since as you point out Digistad seems to be a european venture. A lot of the signatories on the declaration page seem to be from around the world... probably misled ex-colonials wishing the US army would come to save them from free software radicals. Send Vista, not bombs!

But seriously I agree it's time to tackle these dangerous radicals head on. Keep writing your blog posts, it's going to expose those mostly European individuals who work for the vast left wing anarchoterrorist conspiracy to waste US tax payers dollars for their own professional reasons.

Keep it up! Can't wait till your next post.

Your avid fan
Muphy, John (not European, seriously)

[JohnMurphy]

stand
standard
station
state
united states
stability
status
estate
establish
establisment
antiestablishmentarion...
...
WOW

Those Persians have infiltrated our English language. Actually my research shows that 'sta' is INDO EUROPEAN! How bad can it get? What a lack of respect...

I propose a ban on all words containing 'sta', starting immediately!

Once again, thank you for highlighting this insidious infiltration of our heritage.

[DennisByron]

JohnMurphy, interesting analysis. Do you think that English has been somehow influenced by Europeans and terrorists? This worries me. If they attack the language Jesus spoke, who knows what they would do next. Do you think Linux is funded by a vast left-wing anti-business conspiracy? It seems the only plausible explanation to me. What do you suggest?

[DennisByron]

BTW, if those Eurolinux fanbois suggest I'm a Microsoft lover, they'd be wrong. It's true that I run Vista but only because Linux sucks. I tried to plug in a mouse and I had to spend an hour on the forums finding out how to rebuild the kernel with mouse support. It's ridicolous, and a waste of tax paeyers money. If I owned MSFT stock, which I don't, I'd sell it all and buy AAPL. I mean, have you seen the iPhone? So, you see, I am not a Microsoft astroturfer.

JohnMurphy, did you get a chance to answer my comment yet? I'm starting to think you're a eurolinux fanboi in disguise.

[DennisByron]

Please stop these posts, thank you.

[chemicalscum]

ROTFL

[JohnMurphy]

Dennis, I've been thinking and the more I think the more what you say makes sense. It seems there are some trolls here, don't respond to them, i've seen people like this on other forums, they usually get boared and go away.

So i had two ideas. Tell me what you think. Why don't you make like a Dennis Byron Declaration, explain why international law proves governments should stay the heck away from business, and how that whole business of human rights and the rule of law is way overrated.

Second, let's start an anti-Digistan group. I checked, and microserfia.org is available. With your writing skills and my enthusiasm i'm sure it'll be a hit.

We need to move fast cause those Digistanis seem to be everywhere. Did you read on CNN how Iranistan, Cubastan, and North Koreastan are sending money to anti-MSFT groups around the world? Why do only terrorists hate Windows? Windows represents all that is good and great with US democracy. I think we have to get organized NOW. Email me, let's discuss.

[JohnMurphy]

Dennis, did you see your post got quoted on fark.com? You're very popular, keep up the great work!!!

[simion]

About Microsoft greath job read here www.geocities.com/~budallen/backdoor.ht...

and see this too youtube.com/watch?v=f4...

P.S. for less inteligent people: USA do no land on the moon, all the wars happen because of economic reasons(not freedom)
Please learn more things before writing things

youtube.com/watch?v=Hp...

[Leon945]

"I tried to plug in a mouse and I had to spend an hour on the forums finding out how to rebuild the kernel with mouse support."
-Dennis Byron

When was the last time you installed linux? 1991?
I would avoid making these comments if I were you.
I would risk looking/sounding like a complete idiot (in the sense of having some sort of mental disability).

[User 194549]

I would join an anti-digistani group. Dennis, please go for it. I hate those freedom loving europeans.

[Stunned]

How do you conclude that 'public' dollars are spent? You failed to mention the 'microsoft' tax! You must be an m$ shill.

[Jim D]

If only Seeking Alpha had a way to permanently bury future comments from people who've flipped your bozo filter...

[=8)-DX]

Hey there Dennis,

I'd just like to correct you on a couple of things, which it seems you don't understand.

Digistan is a syllabic abbreviation of Digital Standards. Just as for instance Microsoft is a syllabic abbreviation of Microcomputer Software. In other words the name has nothing to do with terrorism or Farsi. Producing such abbreviations is normal in various European languages.

And as Digistan is presumably funded by European EUR (and other EU currencies) I can't possibly see how it could be using up your US taxpayer dollars. Also it seems to me that the cost of a single website and someone drafting a declaration shouldn't be too much. People participating pro-bono in workgroups and open source projects don't cost anything and I would rather say they bring unmeasurable value.

You are right in saying that the website with its declaration should more precisely define what "free and open standards" are and I also on first reading their declaration felt a little "propaganda-fille... But on reflection it seems to me very simple, that a "free standard" means - without expensive patents attached. An "open standard" means one available to all interested parties (such as software developers) and not vendor-specific. For instance HTML or XML or CSS. These specifications are available for free online in many places and for me as a web developer it is easy to write HTML. Also I can be reasonably assured that people using different browsers, operating systems or even devices will be able to view and access this HTML. Conversely I would not call for instance MSOXML an open standard (yet - until OOXML is published and implemented) because it is extremely difficult for me to create or edit such a document (which I have tried to do many times with varying levels of success - with next to no reference material) and the document I produce is only openable using a single vendor's software. As for Digistan "having a problem defining" free and open standards I later found they hava definition on www.digistan.org/open-....

Dennis, I would please like you to give us a explanation of why you think this declaration is wrong or bad (does it contain bad logic?) and who it will hurt.

And also it would be good to apologize for your tone which seems to imply there is something inherently bad in either coutries ending in "stan", Europeans, left-wing ideology. This seems like deep predjudice which is something you yourself are criticising (anti-Microsoft predjudice). Also as a European I think it would be good to have more competition in the software market, for instance in the Czech Republic where I live there are only a handful of Microsoft emplyees/representativ... The majority of all profit spent by people here on MS Office and Windows etc etc goes to the US. "Free and open standards" are one of the things that will allow capable Czech programmers an equal chance on the global IT market.

[GillianWates]

I'm no Microsoft supporter but I have to admit DennisByron has a point. After all, Microsoft invented the internet in 1995 with Windows 95 and gave this to the world, free! They gave away internet explorer, when netscape was trying to screw people into paying for their browser. So MSFT has a long history of giving stuff away. Now, their profits are falling - didn't they make a loss last year? - so they need to tighten the screws. If this means patenting everything they can and trying to kill free software and open standards, well they have a godgiven right to do this. Nay, an obligation to their shareholders!

Like I say, I'm no Microsoft supporter, but on this one I have to say Denise Byran has it absolutely right!

[simion]

I do not know that Microsoft invented Internet, can you find a prof of this afirmation? i belive that you must read more and write less(otherwise you confirm that you are stupid)

[TaNK]

Heavens! We simply MUST nip the Hague Declaration in the bud! How DARE those freedom-loving Linux hippies try to give away a whole operating system and subvert the status-quo fiefdom??? We ALL know Microsoft's lobbyists ... err, agents for the greater good are trying their best to make sure governments are steered in the right direction in their own, non-threatening way! C'mon, how DARE any Linux nuts even think that open standards would save anyone money! I mean we ... err, THEY just don't get it! Status quo is comfortable, it's safe, no one got fired for buying IBM ... umm, Microsoft, ya see?

[GillianWates]

simion: it's obvious MSFT invented the internet, like they invented the operating system, the PC, and the mouse. Linux stole everything from Windows. Everyone knows this, which is why no-one wants to give you the source code for linux. Sure, they say they will, but have you ever actually tried to get it? you see what i mean. Anyhow, i'm not a Microsoft supporter but i think hippy anti-capitalist freedom loving europeans should be forced to swear allegiance to vista.

[GillianWates]

JohnMurphy: i like the idea of microserfia.com. like our own country from which to launch bombs on the digistanis. count me in. Email me at gillian.b.wates@gmail.... when you have built your site.

simion: if you look up into the sky you will see a small shiny thing flying very high and very fast over your head.

[GillianWates]

From the terms of use, one may not:

# Post any comment that is unlawful, harmful or injurious to others, threatening, abusive, offensive, harassing, derisive, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, hatefully, racially, ethnically or otherwise tortious or objectionable.

Now I'm no Microsoft supporter but IMO "fascist terrorists based in countries and regions using the Farsi-based suffix “stan.” is threatening, abusive, offensive, derisive, defamatory, vulgar, libelous, hatefully, racially, and ethnically objectionable.

Dennis, I'm no microsoft fan but seriously, you should apologise before lots of angry digistanis write to contact-editorial@seek... expressing their shock and dismay that such comments would be published on a site like this.

Just sayin'.

[simion]

this is my last comment, you know nothing:
i will tell you the truth
1.computers are old then Microsoft
2. the windows(the GUI elements not the OS) are not created by Microsoft
3. Operating Systems are older then Windows and Dos
4. internet and html are not Microsofr creation
5. C and c++ are not Microsoft creation
6 Please read more and write less, you seem stupid

[RV]

stan means land. This guy is an absolute MORON. From now on, lets not give anything for free. Homeless, hungry and poor people must pay for their food and help (no more FREE rides). No more internet since almost all of the protocols underlining was developed for free or released for free, OpenOffice must be banned since it's free. No more web browser (Mozilal and derivatives are free, IE is free, Opera in free). Never mind that private companies like Red Hat, Suse, Ubuntu and others give their OS for free. banned them. Anyone who believes in free stuff must go to jail for being fascist or communist. I will notify my public library tha they are in violation since they give books for free every last Sunday of the month. No more of that, everyone must pay. From now my co-workers that ask me for a free ride to the subway station a few blocks away must pay me, no more free rides from me since I am not a fascist/communist. I am returning my toothpaste that included a a free toothbrush. My list is going to get very long.

[GillianWates]

RV, I support Denis Biron's right to say freedom is for fascist terrorists who speak foreign languages. Clearly the world would be a better place if we all spoke English and ran the same operating system. The only free software would be viruses, which is good for the anti-virus industry. Lastly, I disagree that accepting free rides does NOT make you a fascist/communist.

[User 194882]

Digistan is an open source activism organization to influence the EU members /staff opinion and has relations with OFE and FFII both of which are active campaigners against Microsoft.
In the anti OOXML OFE meeting in Geneva they were joined and sponsored by quite a few members of ECIS a lobby group of Microsoft competitors who launches formal complaints to the EU about Microsoft.
So basically what we have is a lobby group of Microsoft competitors sponsoring a host of small (and related) Open source supportering lobby groups together trying to influence European Union opinions.

Not coincidentally all of these activist lobby organizations of course have their base in or near Brussels and it seems they even have some of there members working within (or for) the European commissions staff advisory committee in information and communication technology (IDABC) in Brussel.

With the influence these groups generate within the EU and the European commission it is a mistake to dissmiss them of hand. Politicians with little knowledge of ICT are easy to influence and the EU has alrerady seem some spectacular fine against Microsoft and looking at the shape of competitors funded lobbying efforts the next fines may be around the corner ...

[IloveMSFT]

User 194882: I'm shocked. Are you saying Digistan is trying to influence political opinion? I thought the corridors of power were reserved for the rich lobbyists only. We should campaign for a ban on people trying to affect politics through activism. Ban the FFII!! Presumably they are all funded by terrodollars anyhow. BTW I heard a Microsoft lobbyist telling a conference that MSFT was an open source company. Does this mean MSFT is lobbying against itself? Anything seems possible after Vista.

[IloveMSFT]

User 194882: I guess you meant open standards, not open source. So MSFT is against open standards, is that what you mean? Just trying to get some clarity here.

[IloveMSFT]

User 194882: are you saying MSFT's EU fine was the result of the FFII and groups like it? Wow! I never realized how much power these dangerous radicals wield. Don't you think it's time for a total ban, enforced by the army if necessary, for this kind of thing? It seems bad for business to stop monopolists abusing their god-given market share. Let's shoot the judges while we're at it, they seem to also hate profits. I'm with you, please contact me at wipe.out.the.radicals@... LETS DO IT!

[sam gregor]

Who is funding Denis Byron to write this warped rubbish? Unless of course it is a scam. With such an opponent open source software must be a good thing.

[sam gregor]

To contribute a second thought, one should respect his age and grey hairs but this poor geezer belongs to the generation who still think that free software means 'amateur' software, that Linux was written by amateurs who have to give it away because it is so poor. I've actually heard one of them say so. He now believes it was written by terrorists, is that right? It's a wonderful thing when sharing, generosity, pure research and cooperation and the absence of a profit motive are equated with terrorism.

[GillianWates]

sam: thanks for your insightful remarks but I'm not sure Denise is against Linux so much as against freedom as a general principle. Also he seems to really dislike Soros, who is one of the richest men in the world. So he must be against rich people too. Maybe he's just an old white racist who regrets the passing of Empire and the availability of cheap ethnic labor? If you ask me, his analysis and writing is based more on the need to get another strong drink than to get facts.

Who is paying for Denise's Drivel? MSFT? If so, is this not a pure waste of Microsoft Tax dollars? If I had MSFT shares instead of AAPL (which to be honest is doing a great job of executing Windows), I'd be selling them asap, because if this is how MSFT defends itself, by employing clowns as bloggers, wow... I mean, just wow...

[=8)-DX]

Hey there Dennis,

I'd just like to correct you on a couple of things, which it seems you don't understand.

Digistan is a syllabic abbreviation of Digital Standards. Just as for instance Microsoft is a syllabic abbreviation of Microcomputer Software. In other words the name has nothing to do with terrorism or Farsi. Producing such abbreviations is normal in various European languages.

And as Digistan is presumably funded by European EUR (and other EU currencies) I can't possibly see how it could be using up your US taxpayer dollars. Also it seems to me that the cost of a single website and someone drafting a declaration shouldn't be too much. People participating pro-bono in workgroups and open source projects don't cost anything and I would rather say they bring unmeasurable value.

You are right in saying that the website with its declaration should more precisely define what "free and open standards" are and I also on first reading their declaration felt a little "propaganda-fille... But on reflection it seems to me very simple, that a "free standard" means - without expensive patents attached. An "open standard" means one available to all interested parties (such as software developers) and not vendor-specific. For instance HTML or XML or CSS. These specifications are available for free online in many places and for me as a web developer it is easy to write HTML. Also I can be reasonably assured that people using different browsers, operating systems or even devices will be able to view and access this HTML. Conversely I would not call for instance MSOXML an open standard (yet - until OOXML is published and implemented) because it is extremely difficult for me to create or edit such a document (which I have tried to do many times with varying levels of success - with next to no reference material) and the document I produce is only openable using a single vendor's software. As for Digistan "having a problem defining" free and open standards I later found they hava definition on www.digistan.org/open-....

Dennis, I would please like you to give us a explanation of why you think this declaration is wrong or bad (does it contain bad logic?) and who it will hurt.

And also it would be good to apologize for your tone which seems to imply there is something inherently bad in either coutries ending in "stan", Europeans, left-wing ideology. This seems like deep predjudice which is something you yourself are criticising (anti-Microsoft predjudice). Also as a European I think it would be good to have more competition in the software market, for instance in the Czech Republic where I live there are only a handful of Microsoft emplyees/representativ... The majority of all profit spent by people here on MS Office and Windows etc etc goes to the US. "Free and open standards" are one of the things that will allow capable Czech programmers an equal chance on the global IT market.

[C. LouLesstwit]

Mr Byron,
I read your article about the hidden meaning of Digistan and experienced an epiphany. For ages I have been wondering how those helpful people at the other end of the internet have known to send me so many emails to sell me Viagra and other products to expand my - to enlarge my - well lets just say to enable the flesh to occupy as much shelf space as the spirit.
I read your article, looked down at my PC and there it was - "Micro Soft" - my uhhhm friend's two problems summarized in one word. Another acquaintance whom I would not consider as a friend as he uses that "Lunix" system on his computer tells me his network sniffer shows that my PC not only receives these mails but SENDS THEM AS WELL. Oh bless you Microsoft for this true miracle! I am expecting my first consignment of product any day now and will keep you posted of developments. I mean my friend will - of course.

Keep up the good work!!!

C. Lou Lesstwit

[JohnMurphy]

Dennis: have you thought about your next article? The blogosphere is aquiver with anticipation as to where you'll take this story next. Here is something I've been researching. Did you realize that "Digistan" is perhaps meant to sound like "Dagestan", a well-known islamic republic? I found that:

"93% percent of Dagestan's population is Muslim..." and "There is a millennia-old presence of a Jewish community, the "Mountain Jews".

Also that "Since 2000, Dagestan has been the venue of a low-level guerilla war, bleeding over from Chechnya; the fighting has claimed the lives of hundreds of federal servicemen and officials – mostly members of local police forces – as well as many Dagestani national rebels and civilians."

Surely this is no coincidence...? I suspect we're only a step away from seeing the Dagestani government lobbying in Brussels to get MSFT hit with huge fines. I'd be careful about misunderestimating the Dagestanis, they look really mean.

Please keep up the excellent work and don't make us wait too long for your next insightful commentary!

Yours respectfully
John H. Murphy
(Boston)

[TheBarber]

As entertaining as this thread had been (and it has been), what I do not find to be entertaining is that the executive management clowns at JAVA have managed to wipe out about 50% of shareholder equity in just over a year.

Dear Sun Board of Directors, how long can you continue to support Schwartz and his clique? It's time to clean house yet again.