Microsoft Becomes Linux Foundation Platinum Member

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The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit advancing professional open source management for mass collaboration, today announced that Microsoft has joined the organization at a Platinum member during Microsoft’s Connect(); developer event in New York. From cloud computing and networking to gaming, Microsoft has steadily increased its engagement in open source projects and communities. The company is currently a leading open source contributor on GitHub and earlier this year announced several milestones that indicate the scope of its commitment to open source development. The company released the open source .NET Core 1.0; partnered with Canonical to bring Ubuntu to Windows 10; worked with FreeBSD to release an image for Azure; and after acquiring Xamarin, Microsoft open sourced its software development kit. In addition, Microsoft works with companies like Red Hat, SUSE and others to support their solutions in its products.
 
NB4 Neckbeards.

But seriously, anyone who's worked in a Sysadmin role knows that Linux is used in conjunction with Windows in 99% of environments.
 
Man, I've gotta go read the comments on the slashdot post. I can just imagine lots of neckbeards having a hissy fit.
 
4saken said:
MS has been, for YEARS, one of the biggest, if not the biggest, contributor to the linux and OSS community.
Click to expand...

I believe Google is still the biggest contributor to open source. But you are correct since Nadella took over, MS has been ramping up huge investments into open source, though not much is consumer visible.

And let's not forget Ballmer famously called linux a cancer and referred to the linux openness ethos as communism. Those kinds of remark leaves looong burned in memories.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/ballmer-i-may-have-called-linux-a-cancer-but-now-i-love-it/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/07/31/ms_ballmer_linux_is_communism/
 
Never forget the words "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish". Those who have been watching Microsoft for years will be understandably wary regarding this news, given their history. I'm not against Microsoft (or anyone else for that matter) contributing to Linux, but there is precedent to be cautious. So long as Microsoft just adds compatibility and/or develops software that also runs on Linux etc... this will be mutually beneficial. However, if they start using their financial clout to control/change the development, , attempts to extend and shore up proprietary extensions as required for compatibility with some highly desired software or feature etc... there needs to be pushback from the community. This is even more worrisome considering it isn't just a contribution, but Microsoft's Azure program director will be given a seat on the LinuxFoundation Board of Directors....and that's to say nothing about their participation in the NSA PRISM program, or their very recent intrusive "telemetry" in Windows 10.

Lets hope this isn't part of an Embrace strategy and now we're waiting for the other shoe to drop...so far MS's new "Linux friendly" attitude has resulted in tech that basically benefits only Microsoft (ie Ubuntu Bash in Win10 makes it easier to do "some Linux stuff" without leaving Windows. It provides no incentive or benefit for Linux use, but rather simply appropriates Linux benefits ) and I'd have to see real, long term benefits FOR LINUX before this would appear as anything more than E-E-E. Admittedly, there is at least the possibility for aligned goals in Azure, where if the right decisions are made both Microsoft can succeed by selling a service and Linux itself can benefit; most of all, it depends on MS / Azure growth in a way that Linux is not seen as competition but instead as a partner. I suppose only time will tell...
 
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