Microsoft’s current 10K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of Open Source projects in their lists of competitors. This is interesting since it looks like Microsoft is trying desperately to inflate their number of current competitors, possibly to water down the appearance of their past dominance and anti-competitive practices. One wonders though, is it even possible to be taken to court for anti-competitive behavior against Open Source projects? Companies whose business model revolves around professional services for Open Source products, yes. But Open Source projects themselves? What about projects that are entirely community based and supported with volunteers within the development community?
I’ll be interested to see if anyone else picks up on this, since this seems rather suspicious too me. If Microsoft make it their goal to target and take out Open Source projects, are they legally doing anything wrong according to anti-competitive law point of view?