Let me spell it out for you Mr. Mundie. The choice of Open Source or proprietary software should be made on the basis of the performance of the software. Simple isn't it?

You said "The business model for commercial software has a proven track record and is a key engine of economic growth for many countries. It has boosted productivity and efficiency in almost every sector of the economy, as businesses and individuals have enjoyed the wealth of tools, information and other activities made possible in the PC era."

Fine. Tell me, what is the most important development in computing over the past ten years? A. The internet. Now tell me what roll Microsoft (as the prime example of the model you hold dear) played in it's early development? A. NONE Why? because there was no money to be made at the time. MS has since made billions developing for the internet because others developed the structure and made it possible.

Profit driven corporations are often blinded by profits. Open Source development has no such blinders. There is a NEED for the type of development Open Source provides because some innovations that are of great benefit simply do not make for good corporate profits. Sometimes the need to make a profit IS A BURDEN. No corporation saw the need for the internet. Even after it was developed few saw it's potential. Microsoft included.

If you truly believe "commercial software model alone has the capacity for sustaining real economic growth." then why are you here? Why say anything? Surely, MS will trounce Open Source with it's superior innovation, right? So why all of this effort? I'll tell you why. Because you know that Open source is here to stay and in the end it cuts into Microsoft profits.

So please spare us your BS. You are just another salesman out to make a buck. Please take your Ronco SoftwareOmatic, one solution fits all plan and get to steppin'.

Mike Washé is senior vice president at Reality Inc.