Raymond accuses Microsoft of Web standard sabotage

NEWS The godfather of open source software, Eric Raymond, has spoken out against Microsoft with allegations that could impact the software giant's US anti-trust trial. Speaking exclusively to Silicon.com, Raymond accused Microsoft of attempting to jeopardise Internet standards. He said: "I can name several standards that they have attempted to screw up and turn into lock-in devices." Raymond said he could prove the company had a long history of such behaviour. The chairman of the Windows NT Forum, Simon Moores, who represents Microsoft's UK customers, agreed with Raymond's claims. "Microsoft has been acting in an anti-competitive and monopolistic manner. Probably Eric Raymond has a case." Moores cited Microsoft's attempt to own the ecommerce framework as a case in point. "Microsoft claims that Lotus' Domino standard is infringing on the development of digital certificates just because it doesn't support Microsoft's own certificate server," he said. "But despite behaving like a railway baron for the past ten years, it is not breaking the law by pushing its own standards." Microsoft refused to comment on the allegations. A source within the organisation explained why: "If that is true, it's going to come out in the Department of Justice trial so we can't comment on it now, as it could be used in evidence against us." Log in to Silicon.com's Internet Channel for the full interview with Eric Raymond.