From: seebs@plethora.net (Peter Seebach) Subject: MICROSOFT SUES FSF OVER CODING STANDARDS! Date: 1998/04/01 Message-ID: #1/1 NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 01 Apr 1998 09:09:18 CST Organization: Plethora Internet Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss,alt.folklore.computers,alt.religion.kibology MICROSOFT TO SUE FSF OVER NAMING CONVENTIONS In a bold new move, Microsoft announced that the GNU coding standards constituted an unfair restraint of trade. "They aren't using the Hungarian naming convention," said a Microsoft spokesman who asked to remain anonymous. "This puts our programmers at a disadvantage, and requires us to rename dozens of variables when we want to use their code." Microsoft has been using code from the Free Software Foundation's EMACS editor as the new "ring 0" level for Windows NT 5.0, and blames the GNU coding standards for the delays in the release of the much-anticipated server software. "When people write code on public property, such as universities or city streets, that code is said to be `in the public domain'," the spokesman explained. "Most public domain code is under the GNU coding standards, and therefore under the GNU license. That constitutes a restraint of trade." Microsoft is seeking unspecified damages in the punitive action, which is being filed in an Arizona court due to Arizona's casual disregard for claims of barratry. Microsoft demands that all programmers using the GNU coding standards, or GNU software, stop development immediately, and hand all of their code over to Microsoft for assimilation. "We just want everyone to be happy," Microsoft's spokesman explained. "When Chairman Bill ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. So Bill needs to be happy."