Microsoft joins Linux foundation

[lexon]

Must be true. I saw it on the Internet. Does anyone really care?

http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/16/1365 ... membership

L

[Pjotr]

It's true. This means more money for Linux development.

Microsoft has to.... Linux development is going so fast, Microsoft simply can't keep up with it.

I predict: within 10 years, Windows will have a Linux kernel. Then you'll have to switch to BSD in order to keep your elite status.

[BigEasy]

"Windows joins Linux foundation" ???
Microsoft joins Linux foundation! Microsoft is not Windows. Microsoft is much more.

[DeMus]

Is nobody seeing what is going on here?
First they neglected Linux as if it wasn't there.
Then, when it became bigger and better, they criticized it.
Now they want to join it. Why? Simply, they have to have it. Soon there will be no Linux anymore cause it will be Microsoft controlling it all. Then they have full control again over all computers. That is what Microsoft wants. Don't let anyone say anything different. Mark my words.
It is the normal strategy which they have used so often in the past, now they are using it again and we will be the victims.
Mark my words.

[jimallyn]

I am not convinced that Microsoft can gain control over Linux. But this does bear keeping an eye on it.

[Pjotr]

Microsoft will never be able to control Linux. The GPL ensures that:
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Microsoft can only contribute. By means of money and/or code.

[MintBean]

Agree with DeMus. Don't buy into all the 'new Microsoft' BS, no matter how much propaganda is spread.

[absque fenestris]

Also agree with DeMus. See Apple, Adobe, Skype etc.: as well as they accept the standards of Microsoft they lose their identity. I really have no interest to find Microsoft standards under Linux again.
I have thrown Mono/.NET and all the Play On Win stuff and pleases me about a quick and uncomplicated machine.

[Jedinovice]

http://techrights.org/2016/11/16/micros ... tes-linux/

Microsoft joins the Linux foundation.

I am assuming this is bad, very bad news.

What are the implications here? I assume eventual patent control?
[I know Microsoft and they do not compete - they exterminate.]

[Amii_Leigh]

Greed knows no satisfaction. Being a corporation that is consumed by greed, it knows nothing other than to consume everything until nothing is left. Rest assured, it WILL find a way.

[Cosmo.]

MS is platinum member, that means they pay 500.000 $ per year. There are to my knowledge 10 other platinum members. e.g. IBM, Intel and Oracle. Unlikely that they would allow MS (or anybody else) to control everything, And also Google (only gold member) is unlikely to allow that.

[TooMuchTime]

There are to my knowledge 10 other platinum members. e.g. IBM, Intel and Oracle.

Oracle hates Microsoft. Larry Ellison is still a driving force behind Oracle and he likes Microsoft as much as a temperance meeting likes a kegger.

But I'm not betting on Oracle. I'm going with Pjotr on this. The GPL strictly forbids ownership. You can partake but you cannot own.

For example, if you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code. And you must show them these terms so they know their rights.

-- from the GPL preamble

Personally, I believe that Microsoft has a team in the basement writing a Windows front-end to the Linux kernel. I think Microsoft is tired of Super Tuesday fixes. Think of all the money they will save in salaries by laying off the thousands of people that do nothing but fix one hole in Windows code and open five others because of that fix.

[DeMus]

There are to my knowledge 10 other platinum members. e.g. IBM, Intel and Oracle.

Oracle hates Microsoft. Larry Ellison is still a driving force behind Oracle and he likes Microsoft as much as a temperance meeting likes a kegger.

But I'm not betting on Oracle. I'm going with Pjotr on this. The GPL strictly forbids ownership. You can partake but you cannot own.

For example, if you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code. And you must show them these terms so they know their rights.

-- from the GPL preamble

Personally, I believe that Microsoft has a team in the basement writing a Windows front-end to the Linux kernel. I think Microsoft is tired of Super Tuesday fixes. Think of all the money they will save in salaries by laying off the thousands of people that do nothing but fix one hole in Windows code and open five others because of that fix.

Okay, I can get along with this. Maybe they can't own Linux because of the GPL. Thing is they have so many lawyers who will find a way to seriously damage free open source software. MS is a company which needs sales and profit. Linux is not Windows (MS). Sure, people get paid for all their work and that is a good thing or there would not be OSS. I simply don't trust MS, they have done this scheme before: denial, attack and own.
On the other hand I also don't trust Ubuntu (Canonical/Shuttleworth). I see him as the next Bill Gates. That's my reason why I have stopped using Mint, based on Ubuntu. I could use LMDE but I am not fond of the desktops so I skipped to SolydK.
All I want to say here is we really have to watch MS to avoid becoming a victim of their greedy needs.

[Bolle1961]

I predict: within 10 years, Windows will have a Linux kernel.

Probably not. BSD is more likely because they have then more freedom to mix open and closed software.
Apple did this about 16 years ago and it worked great for them. If I were Bill Gates I had switched years ago to a BSD base, but he didn't do it, Steve Ballmer didn't do it and Satya Nadella is not going to do it ...

[Citizen229]

They have too much to lose at this point to just go open. I think they are just putting their toes in the water to see how warm it is. To be honest i would not be surprised if they experimented with a free version that is actually linux and labeled windows( remember lindows?). Keeping Office and other professional services on their closed source platform. But going open with a redhat style "charge for support" for the common home user. They did not get their 1 billion new installs of win10. I think they saw the red flag. Nor do I even think the numbers they published are even that accurate. MS's business is politics, they will lie to you. I whole heartedly believe Os's like Mint are doing better than what statistics tell you. You can find comment post, after comment post on win10 articles of persons who have done multiple PC's to mint since win10 release. Mint ease of use and word of mouth( friends/family) for support is slowly working its way around the nation. With Linux and open source, they cannot throw money at it and make it go away. Any foolish contract/agreement to do so would be illegal. Ms is in a rock and a hard place right now. Win10 has been their biggest disaster yet, compounded by a change in business model. Their money is not threat, but what does worry me is the dumb things they could convince alot of people to do to their OS's.

[BigEasy]

Things are very simple. Microsoft wants to distribute their products to anonther OS - Linux. Thats all.
Who are against it? Me not.

[Portreve]

I would regale you with stories of my respect for Microsoft's welfare, but there aren't any. Just like there aren't any for BillG or Dance-Monkey-Boy Ballmer.

[TooMuchTime]

I simply don't trust MS, they have done this scheme before: denial, attack and own.

I quite agree. It is a tried and true method for engulfing and devouring that which you do not have now. I am firm believer in the free market and commerce. However, history has shown that there are those unscrupulous few that are willing to give something as great as the free market, a bad name and a black eye merely to enrich themselves. There is nothing wrong with making money or profit; they create jobs, wealth, and a rising standard of living. But there is no need to ignore what is right just for aggrandizement and self-interest.

[samriggs]

anyone remember what happened to lindows?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft ... .com,_Inc.

Trusting Microsoft to come in the house and play nice is like grandma inviting the big bad wolf into her house to cuddle in bed nicely.
Ain't gona happen.

they tried to block linux on Microsoft machines (ain't a https link but it's zdnet they got to fix that up same with infoworld but some reading about it)
http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft- ... ows-8-pcs/
http://www.infoworld.com/article/305084 ... -late.html

how many servers and supercomputers use Microsoft anymore? (maybe a handful compared to linux)
how much moolah did they loose on their server software?
we have mySQL so why do we need Microsoft sql now?
we have javascript, does anyone remember vscript?
we have php why would we need asp / asp.net?
how many programming languages did they try to make their own?

They never played nicely in the past why would they start now?

If the gaming world decided to wake up one day and say "hey lets start making our games for linux also" I wondering how many would switch over then, or the top software companies making linux versions.
Microsoft/Windows would pretty much be a dead OS once everyone realizes what linux could actually do.
Like when oracle was going to try and put a price tag on open office, out came libre office, goodbye open office except the few who still use it.

The fact is if gaming companies and software companies added linux versions why would anyone pay for Microsoft unless your a die hard user or don't know any better.

I'd say with linux growing popularity and the more the word gets out there the more they know they have to worry.
Do I trust Microsoft, not on your life.
They have never done anything to deserve that trust in me.
May the GPL be with you.

Sam

[ingeva]

Trusting Microsoft to come in the house and play nice is like grandma inviting the big bad wolf into her house to cuddle in bed nicely.
Ain't gona happen.

No argument here!