Microsoft tried to bully UK government

Stefan Mileschin · 25th May 2015, 10:58

A report said that Microsoft put pressure on the UK government after the Conservative Party said it would move government computers to use open source software.

According to Bloomberg, Steve Hilton, David Cameron’s former director of strategy, said earlier this week Microsoft stepped up lobbying at Westminster.

Hilton said, according to the report, that Microsoft phoned Tory MPs with Microsoft facilities in their constituencies and threatened to shut them if the government went ahead with the plan.

Hilton said the MPs that were threatened told Microsoft to take a hike.

Recently, Microsoft has been less confrontational about open source software, which former CEO Steve Ballmer detested with a passion.

It has realised that if it wants to make money from the cloud, it has to cooperate with the entire community and cannot hope to use the strategies that at one time gave it and Wintel a virtual monopoly on computer systems.

http://www.techeye.net/business/micr...-uk-government

25th May 2015, 10:58	#1
Stefan Mileschin [M] Reviewer Join Date: May 2010 Location: Romania Posts: 148,597	Microsoft tried to bully UK government A report said that Microsoft put pressure on the UK government after the Conservative Party said it would move government computers to use open source software. According to Bloomberg, Steve Hilton, David Cameron’s former director of strategy, said earlier this week Microsoft stepped up lobbying at Westminster. Hilton said, according to the report, that Microsoft phoned Tory MPs with Microsoft facilities in their constituencies and threatened to shut them if the government went ahead with the plan. Hilton said the MPs that were threatened told Microsoft to take a hike. Recently, Microsoft has been less confrontational about open source software, which former CEO Steve Ballmer detested with a passion. It has realised that if it wants to make money from the cloud, it has to cooperate with the entire community and cannot hope to use the strategies that at one time gave it and Wintel a virtual monopoly on computer systems. http://www.techeye.net/business/micr...-uk-government

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