Almost 15 years after Steve Ballmer had compared Linux and the open source community to cancer, Microsoft announced today that it was joining the Linux Foundation as a platinum member.
The news isn't surprising in the big picture. For several years Microsoft has been getting friendlier with the Linux community, being one of the most active contributors to the Linux kernel project.
Microsoft embraced open-source in recent years
As a whole, the company had embraced the open source software model since Satya Nadella took over as CEO. Previously, Microsoft had open-sourced various tools or core technologies behind some of its proprietary software. This includes Edge's JavaScript engine, the .NET compiler, TypeScript, Xamarin, and more.
Additionally, Microsoft also partnered with Canonical to bring Ubuntu on Windows 10, brought SQL Server to Linux, and worked with the FreeBSD, Debian, Red Hat, and SUSE projects to release images for Azure.
After all the technical support Microsoft has been providing to Linux projects, it was only a formality for the Redmond company to officially join the Foundation's ranks.
"Linux Foundation membership underscores what Microsoft has demonstrated time and again," said Jim Zemlin, Executive Director for the Linux Foundation. "Membership is an important step for Microsoft, but it’s perhaps bigger news for the open source community, which will benefit from the company’s sustained contributions."
Besides the Linux Foundation, Microsoft is also part of the Node.js Foundation, the Eclipse Foundation, the Open Container Initiative, the R Consortium, and one of its execs is currently in charge of the Apache Foundation.
Google joins the .NET Foundation
Microsoft announced it was joining the Linux Foundation today, at Connect(), Microsoft annual developer conference.
The company also "officially" announced Visual Studio for Mac. The news leaked on Monday when an employee accidentally published a blog post on the MSDN portal.
At the same conference, Google joined the .NET Foundation in a role on the Technical Steering Committee.
Comments
Viper_Security - 7 years ago
As long as microscum doesn't make it crap im okay, but i kind of switched to linux years ago so i didn't have to deal with micoscums crap.
inkoalawetrust - 7 years ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend_and_extinguish
NickAu - 7 years ago
As we say in Australia, I don't trust M$ as far as I can throw them,
Winterland - 7 years ago
That's odd, we say the same thing here in the States, LOL.
cjgiam - 7 years ago
"Steve Ballmer had compared Linux and the open source community to cancer" That says it all. MS wants to be the 'Drug Company" that controls that cancer & holds everybody's life in their hands.
Mike_Walsh - 7 years ago
Should we be worried?
You bet your a** we should.....
SuperSapien64 - 7 years ago
I don't know if this a bad thing or good thing.
inkoalawetrust - 7 years ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend_and_extinguish its a terrible thing
TsVk! - 7 years ago
oh dear... so many thoughts, such a little box.
cat1092 - 7 years ago
Microsoft has a long history of being liars, and will stop at nothing to quash competition. One has to look no further behind than their braking of Netscape to see this.
https://www.wired.com/2015/01/90s-startup-terrified-microsoft-got-americans-go-online/
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2015/mar/22/web-browser-came-back-haunt-microsoft
Microsoft had the US government in their pockets the whole time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Corp.
And we're supposed to trust them now?
cat1092 - 7 years ago
Also, is this why 'node.js', an open source project, now being installed with NVIDIA 10 series GPU's on Windows?
https://nodejs.org/en/
What other reason would a product from the Linux Foundation be installed on a Windows OS? Still for the time being, it only occurs with the NVIDIA 10 series cards (GTX 1080/1070/1060/1050). For now anyway.
Secunia PSI classified the bundled version as a security risk (or leak) & directed me to the proper version. Yet still, why the he** is Linux software being installed on Windows, it doesn't work the other way around.
And of course, NVIDIA has to be in on this, as it's they whom delivers the latest drivers, though not the latest node.js package. Installing the latest doesn't fix the issue, so go into the folder shown & delete the 'helper' & the Secunia PSI score becomes 100% again.
A lot of unusual collaboration going on here.:-(
Cat