Sean Gallagher on Microsoft's SDP: "Bill Gates said that Microsoft would still be the one to "productize" anything that comes out of the SDP. In other words, Microsoft would consume the brainpower of its clients, and sell it back to them as software and services."

"If you look beyond the mechanics, the SDP serves another, more subtle purpose. Microsoft will undoubtedly use SDP relationships to pull its best customers closer, and talk them out of any wild ideas they have about using open source." It's too late, Microsoft. We can often get a stabler, more standards-based product and make more profit using open-source software.