Microsoft has joined the Linux foundation as a premium paying member!
As a follow up of the newly declared love for Linux they take the next step. Given Microsoft's history with EEE there is every reason to be sceptical.
If this is a part of an EEE strategy this makes perfect sense; bombard Linux with proprietary contributions and then refuse everybody but Microsoft to use them.
But since Microsoft loves open source these days that cannot be the case. As a mean of controlling Linux it also makes perfect sense.
Microsoft wants Linux to run on and under a Microsoft platform on Microsoft servers in Microsoft clouds as guest machines under Windows.
The day we run Windows in a jailed environment under Linux we will probably see an abrupt end to the goodwill. Nevertheless that would be the sensible solution since all big servers in the world are powered by Linux (I run Windows under Linux - it works great).
So getting some control over the rascal Linux has been a MS goal for years. They have claimed to own part of the Linux kernel and they have threatened everybody who uses Linux with legal unpleasant steps unless they were using the paying distro; Suse.
Interesting question: Is Suse/Novell still paying Microsoft fees for owning part of the Kernel?
(Yes the deal is about not sueing each other but is internally referred to as Licence fee at Microsoft. )
Critics have put it like this:
At the core of Schestowitz's complaint is his belief that a dominant provider of proprietary software is trying to worm its way into the open source world, with designs to hijack open source competition
And if Microsoft really wants to endorse Linux with no streetsmart bully strategy?
Hopefully they will support in getting all Uefi booting machines that have problems installing Linux on the account of Microsoft security Certification to make it easy to install Linux on them - all types of Linux.
That would be a good thing.
It is also true that we live in a world of where computer systems need to communicate cross platform and Microsoft knows this. Since Linux is the dominant system on every computer and "thing" except the PC; Microsoft needs to be able to communicate with it and vice versa.
More here
The keyword must be mutual benefit.
it is open source, it is WinNT, it is a same building in his own front yard (WinXP for the start)
*thumps up*
