Pro-choice?

Does anyone else find hilarious that a Micro$oft-run (effectively) organzation (a) is being touted as “grass roots” (maybe more like kudzu), and (b) is calling itself the Initiative for Software Choice?

This from the firm found to be a monopolist, to have exercised its market leverage (or FUD, or just plain old acquisition powers) to drive competitors (i.e., choice) out of business?

A representative of CompTIA said that the initiative had arisen because of concern that governments–particularly those in Europe–were creating policies that favored open-source software. “When governments base their choice on a preference that takes merit out of the situation, that’s a concern to us,” said Mike Wendy, public relations and policy counsel for CompTIA. “More options are always better.”

Get that? Laws and initiatives calling for open source software (where none of the code is proprietary, hidden, or demanding of royalties) is actually taking choice away from people. As opposed to investing heavily into products like those from, say, Micro$oft, which locks you into a platform owned by Micro$oft, enhanced by Micro$oft, and licensed (rented) at ruinous rates by Micro$oft. In short, propriety is choice.

I’ve also heard tell that war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength. Remember to mention that to your M$ rep next time he calls.

Of course, nobody ever lost money betting on Micro$oft’s arrogance …