> I have a question. Is it possible that MS itself released the code in
the
> clear in order to start a groundswell of sup****t for its new Longhorn
OS?
> Is it possible that MS released the code itself, just to stampede buyers
> onto Longhorn?
Microsoft has long enjoyed popularity, partly because each of its OS
offerings has been backwards compatible. Windows XP, or Windows
Server 2003 will indeed run DOS and Windows 3.1 programs. Windows
Longhorn has an entirely new framework (.NET) for applications, but
still maintains backwards compatibility with the Win32 API. Win32 is
a fundamentally insecure API (see www.grc.com for exhaustive details).
I think that, if anything, the release of this code is designed to
push developers away from the Win32 API and towards .NET. If
developers continue to offer Win32 based products, there will be no
compelling reason for Microsoft's customers to upgrade their base OS -
after all, applications will work just fine on any platform that
sup****ts Win32. Microsoft must see this as a losing situation -
nobody is required to buy Longhorn to run the newest applications.
For Longhorn to be a 'win' for MS, people must go out and buy it in
droves. I think they're hoping to see the kind of consumer feeding
frenzy that was demonstrated when Windows 95 came out.
> If Longhorn is fundamentally different than say, Win2K, then there is
the
> possibility that MS released the code in order to scare the daylights
out of
> Enterprise class businesses, and stimulate sales of Longhorn. Longhorn
is
> not ready, and will not be for a few years, but if the released code was
> specially hand picked to create moderate damage over time, then the
damage
> curve might just peak around the projected release date of Longhorn.
>
> I'd like some thoughtful opinions on this, if I'm not too far from earth
on
> this one.
Jerry, I would have to agree with you. Five days after the code leak,
the first vulnerability based on it was unleashed (I believe it was an
IE 5 graphics rendering issue). Undoubtedly there are more in
development right this instant. I don't know if this will work out in
a favorable way for MS, however, since the damage that may be done to
the countless Windows NT, 2000, XP, and 2003 servers out there may
push folks farther from MS than ever - especially in server-land.
Microsoft is going to be releasing a newer version of XP before
Longhorn gets out, maybe they'll fix 'all the bugs exposed by the
leak' and push this in the meanwhile!
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