Eolas: Donate the Money
A thought occurred to me while reading this article covering the massive ramifications Eolas' recent $520.6 million court victory over Microsoft may have on web development, and the future of the desktop browser. But before I get to that...
We, because of this legal victory, will be able to reinstate a whole new area for competitive development in the software industry. The developers and the competing entities out there to Microsoft, I think, will come to find that we are more of a friend than a threat. David vs. Goliath minimizes what we're doing. Microsoft's use of our technology has been to put others out of business and to restrict much of the potential of the Web. And that is limiting our ability to get the full value for things that we created. (Mike Doyle, Eolas)
Throughout the piece, Doyle -- the sole employee of Eolas -- attempts to validate his company's victory by linking the monetary pay-out with both the anti-Microsoft crowd and the former competitors Microsoft ran out of business. According to Doyle, we should be glad to see Microsoft cough up a huge lump of cash; especially since the DOJ's attempts at making a dent in Microsoft hardly produced a scratch.
But if Doyle is going to grant interviews, and shroud his company and personal mission with the mantras of both the open-source browser community and the carcasses of Netscape developers, the money should be donated to the cause.
With $520 million -- or even a quarter of that amount -- open-source groups like the Mozilla project would have the monetary resources to fully market themselves to vendors interested in a non-Microsoft solution. Like any non-profit organization, the money could be put into a trust that could earn more than enough interest for a open-source project (like Mozilla) to adequately fund itself.
For Doyle to take the money and act like his actions are for the "greater good" is dishonest and unfortunate. As the old saying goes, put your money where your mouth is.
Comments
Right on, Todd.
Posted by: Witold at September 25, 2003 3:51 PM
eolas has no product, has no customers, and has one greedy employee. As far as anyone can tell, he's never participated in the web community in any way up until now, and seems to not even have been the first person to think of this idea. What a bastard. He's never been involved in "competitive development in the software industry" in the first place, how dare he speak for anyone who wants to "reinstate" it.
Posted by: andrew at September 25, 2003 4:10 PM
Precisely. With this patent, and the resulting half billion, Doyle has a hell of a power over today's web. He can make or break every browser on the market.
There's no indication yet whether he's a good guy or not. He's given the web community no sign of good faith. And until that day comes, his ability to destroy Microsoft's competition remains an overwhelming shadow.
I'd absolutely love it if he turned out to be a friend. If this is David and Goliath, he needs to throw the first stone. Doyle, it's your move. What'll it be?
Posted by: Dave S. at September 25, 2003 4:39 PM
What Andrew said...plus...
I'm sick of everyone bashing MS...grow up and take responsibility for your own business and stop blaming others for your pathetic lack of business sense.
Posted by: PV at September 25, 2003 10:15 PM
re: ...pathetic lack of business sense.
gee what a silly comment. When you have a 400billion$ gorilla heavy breathing all over you it can be hard to stand out and be heard. But lots are trying. And when the field is not level sout load littlw fella!
Posted by: wp at September 25, 2003 10:46 PM
I knew that would get someone all shook up...but most of the voices heard were companies like AOL (now a giant media behemoth much more dangerous than MS) Sun Micro, etc...
...also, I think your spellchecker kind of broke down at the end of your comment ;-)
...or maybe you're using a piece of Doyle's software.
Posted by: PV at September 25, 2003 11:12 PM
I don't think Doyle can count the money as his yet. I confess i have no clue at the particulars of the case or even a general knowledge of law, but it seems to me that the half a billion is just a figment of alot of people's imagination at the moment. We thought the DOJ had a big win against MS untill the appeal.
PV, the WDIK spelling bee isn't for another month.
Posted by: rob at September 26, 2003 11:19 AM
Todd, well put. I'll stay out of the fray, as much as I would like to get into it, because "This system is meant for discussion".
Posted by: ben at September 26, 2003 1:25 PM
point taken ben. my appologies.
Posted by: rob at September 27, 2003 2:26 PM
From stuff that I've read about and written by Doyle (zeldman's post a few days ago, this post, and some others), it seems that he's one of the good guys in the web community.
I don't doubt for a second that something good is going to spring up from that amount of money. He knows that his future in any kind of web or software development rests upon what he does with this payout, and I wouldn't be surprised if he gave some money to Mozilla... c'mon now, what a slap in the face that would be to Microsoft... their own money going to their competitor! I'd bet he'd love that.
I'm sure he's been getting lots of email lately laden with web professional's opinions (I know he got the email I sent him), and I'm sure he's a smart guy, he'll make the right decision.
BTW: Spelling doesn't count, its what you say that matters.
Posted by: Mike at September 27, 2003 6:56 PM
Mike,
Spelling always counts...
...and besides, that "was" a little over the top but you'll notice I winked ;-) when I typed it!
Posted by: PV at September 28, 2003 2:06 AM
It's always easy to spend someone elses money.
Posted by: Randy at September 28, 2003 10:19 AM
This sounds like if he's Dr. Evil!
Give me 1.000.000.000 dollars or i will shut down all the internet... muehehe.
and...
".c’mon now, what a slap in the face that would be to Microsoft… their own money going to their competitor! I’d bet he’d love that."
Right on...
Posted by: mini-d at October 7, 2003 7:30 AM
