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About the same time Billy's boys also woke up to the fact that Linux and other open source software options were becoming a real threat to their dominance of the server and even desktop markets.

So, for twelve months we've heard repeated tales of how teams of the world's top programmers are pawing over squillions of lines of code and rooting out buffer over-runs, unchecked parameters and a host of other errors that could manifest themselves as security holes.

Meanwhile, the Linux invasion has continued, inexorably and seemingly at an ever-increasing pace.

Likewise, the list of security advisories relating to Microsoft's products doesn't seem to have slowed any, leaving big business and governments uncomfortable about the risks associated with Bill's bugs.

Clearly the boys at Redmond are getting very nervous about the effect this might have on future sales so they've switched into pre-emptive damage-control mode (if there is such a thing).

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It looks as if the company is now trying to kill two birds with one stone by announcing that it will make source code for its Windows operating system available to a number of governments around the world.

This is a smart move.

Now they can say "hey, our code is open -- you've got a copy of it, how much more open can we be and still stay in business?"

Now they can also say "hey, if you don't believe us when we say that our code is secure, check for yourselves."

It would seem that the chosen governments even get to send their most deserving ministers on a junket to Redmond where all will be unveiled -- I wonder who's paying for that?

The unfortunate thing is that, wined, dined and generally wooed by Microsoft's slick-PR people, most of those in a decision-making capacity will likely say "great, forget Linux, let's go with Microsoft -- their entertainment budget is way better than anything a bunch of pizza-eating geeks could offer."

But why did Microsoft target governments rather than the huge companies which actually generate the wealth?

Well that's a master-stroke of cunning as well.

As governments become ever more e-capable, corporations, small businesses and even individuals will be increasingly forced to interact via computer. Take NZ for example -- it is now compulsory for businesses to file certain taxation documents in electronic form.

If Microsoft can convince governments to stick with its products, especially its encryption and proprietary protocols, then business must follow -- by decree of law!

It becomes easy to see why Microsoft sweats buckets every time another government somewhere in the world announces that it's investigating or actually using a non-Microsoft product for part of its core operations.

Has anyone else noticed that Bill Gates has started placing his extended little finger against the corner of his mouth and grinning in a demonic fashion of late?

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