Shortly after deciding to send users' search queries to Microsoft datacentres, Canonical hires a man who defends Microsoft for "options and competition"

When Microsoft employee, Brandon LeBlanc announced that Microsoft ruled the netbook world, he was exaggerating, shall we say, just a wee bit. I was going to stomp on him but Chris Kenyon of Canonical, the business that stands behind Ubuntu, beat me to it.

It seems as though I completely failed to make the point I was trying to make. With the question “Is Canonical becoming the new Microsoft?”, I was trying to ask if the overall level of “bad-karma” that is being directed toward Ubuntu/Canonical was potentially making it into the next entity that the world loves to hate?

Canonical announced yesterday a new Synchronization service for Ubuntu machines. The new tool is called Ubuntu One and it will allow Ubuntu users to synchronize files between multiple computers via the internet and also share files using it's web interface or work remotely with those computers.

Must users of GNU/Linux give Microsoft clues with which to criminalise? If not, then why make it the default option for them?

Samsung Electronics signs a DRM deal with Microsoft, on top of the Linux patent deal

Portuguese Web site accuses Microsoft which is denying GNU/Linux users access to sites; Microsoft takes VBA support away from Mac users

I just read a post by Bruce Byfield, where he raises an interesting question: after the fact that Canonical will try and offer commercial software from a specific repository, would anyone use it? And if not, could it alienate other users of Ubuntu from using the distribution at all?

Microsoft thinks its high time some quality open source games are released noting a significant hole in the Linux Gaming market. "We see it as a great opportunity to introduce Linux users to Microsoft products."