Let the fawning begin
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| herzeleid Jul 22, 2009 1:30 PM EDT |
I'm expecting a flood of blog postings cheering this latest move by microsoft to co-opt open source, as if microsoft were doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. |
| softwarejanitor Jul 22, 2009 1:45 PM EDT |
@herzeleid Goodness of their hearts... now that is funny... |
| herzeleid Jul 22, 2009 2:19 PM EDT |
@softwarejanitor - thanks The observant will note that microsoft has GPL'd none of their core software - everything they've released in this manner is merely some bits of glue logic to tie users to their proprietary back end. Whether Hyper-V, windows live or some other microsoft property, the GPL'd bits are tossed out into the open source community as loss leaders, so to speak. Apparently microsoft is fine with linux and open source - as long as it's running on a microsoft platform, and/or dependent in some way upon a microsoft platform. |
| softwarejanitor Jul 22, 2009 2:28 PM EDT |
@herzeleid Most importantly they will tolerate open source as long as it doesn't compete with any of their products. They will begrudgingly (and possibly temporarily) support outside products (including open source) if it is required to make one of their products successful. You can't bet that support will last once they are successful at building their product into the de-facto monopoly in its market share. As I've said before, the only reason they are releasing this code is because at this point it would be very difficult for them to make Hyper-V successful outside of strictly Microsoft shops without doing so. This whole move is targeted more towards competing with VMWare than it is at Linux. |
| number6x Jul 22, 2009 2:34 PM EDT |
Microsoft has released GPL code in the past. There used to be a product that installed unix like environment in the NT kernel. It was originally sold by Softway Systems under various names. The one I remember is Interix. MS bought Softway and turned Interix into 'Services for Unix' (SFU). MS used to ship a CD for $19.95 with the source code for the GPL stuff on it. Here is an MS site with the read me for SFU 3.0 that mentions GPL and LGPL licenses covering some of the code: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322733 So it is not even a watershed event that MS is shipping software that is under GPL, they have done it before. The change now is that they are trumpeting about it. |
| softwarejanitor Jul 22, 2009 2:48 PM EDT |
@number6x That's different. What you are talking about with Interix wasn't MS "releasing" GPL code they had written, it was just them shipping code written by someone else under GPL. The change isn't just that they are talking about, but that they actually did something other than just port it to their platform. It is also different in that this is code that runs under Linux, not GPL'd code that is running under Windows, albeit it is code running under Linux to make Linux run under Windows. It is a watershed, but not what releasing an application under GPL that ran on Linux (or other non-Windows OS) would be. So far all of MS's interoperability initiatives have been on their side of the fence -- they make it easier to get things into Windows, but they have rarely ever done anything that makes it easier to get anything out. If they were serious about interoperability there are things they could do like releasing tools that run on other platforms that make it easier for them to work with Windows. Say for example they could contribute code to Samba or release conversion software for other platforms to read and write their proprietary formats such as .docx So far just about everything "open source" they've written has been under one of their licenses which are usually not quite GPL compatible. Its clear they only used GPL this time because they basically had to in order to stand any chance of getting it accepted into the mainstream kernel. If they want to be taken seriously as REALLY being pro-Open Source they need to try harder. Personally I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that. |
| herzeleid Jul 22, 2009 2:49 PM EDT |
@number6x - Your example is, much like the current announcements, not a case of microsoft contributing to the open source community but rather attempting to co-opt it. Notice what SFU is intended to do - move people from standards-based systems to microsoft, by providing unix-like services for windows. When it comes to providing unix shops with some windows application, microsoft has fought tooth and nail to avoid it. There was one exception some years ago where microsoft commissioned a port of internet explorer to solaris, and it was unbelievably slow, buggy and missing features - it was basically unusable, so after a few minutes of that I nuked it and went back to netscape. Yet note microsoft's self serving headline: "microsoft brings the internet to unix!" - just as twisted and dishonest as any of their statements, but the PHBs would just eat that stuff up. Ah, good times! |
| number6x Jul 22, 2009 3:03 PM EDT |
My point was this is not a drastic thing, or a leopard changing its spots. I greeted the announcement with a yawn and a 'so what?' kind of response. To me this was more PR than anything else. I see the merits to all of your points. I hadn't quite looked at it in those ways. Thank you |
| krisum Jul 22, 2009 3:09 PM EDT |
Seriously, though, who cares whether this code is GPL or anything else. The FOSS community has no use of this code while others couldn't care less. |
| tracyanne Jul 22, 2009 4:57 PM EDT |
It's Microsoft doing what they have to do, to protect their core business. Also it's Microsoft doing what I've seen many in the FOSS community say Microsoft need to do in order to gain any credibility with them. |
| jdixon Jul 22, 2009 5:15 PM EDT |
> Also it's Microsoft doing what I've seen many in the FOSS community say Microsoft need to do in order to gain any credibility with them. True, but it's also a set of small steps to counter the miles they've wandered in the other direction. Pardon me if I don't assume they've changed their ways quite yet. |
| TxtEdMacs Jul 22, 2009 7:50 PM EDT |
Let the fawning begin OK, but I got here late! Look at that list of comments, how can I counter the tight logic with no turfers to help a guy out? But I promised, I am a Professional. Time to change into Shill mode, where's my cape with the big MS on it? Hey every one, I got my first check (and it's Big!! I take it all back MS, you're the Greatest). Now what to say, I have spoken many times of my love for MS's Vista, Enterprise Exquisite Limited Edition (aks Gang Busters*), but that is an old story. Let me focus on this misrepresentation of MS's noble goals. Quoting:"microsoft brings the internet to unix!"Which was pillored with scorn, however, if the numbers had reached the level desired, the code to disrupt Unix and its point of entry would have assured a early, quick conversion of everyone to Windows. So their best coders** were not on it. If all had gone as planned we would have everyone under our roof, protected by our excellent code and external malware fighters. See what you missed? YBT * That's where you kill all the independent, colorful crooks while leaving the big money knee breakers alone to pursue their craft and finance selected types in business, finance, law, politics, etc. so the country can run smoothly. ** I remember when they had to contract outside to create the Unix version of FoxPro. [Edit!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LIars! cheats! &#@%$ The currency was monopoly money, which they claim is legal since that was the conclusion of the Federal case they won. Fine but I get laughed out of stores and banks trying to convert it into some sort of useful tender. So everything I said was a lie. I never used Vista, even my son that claimed it was so good reverted to XP on a machine with enough power it should have ran well. Me I do not even like XP, Ubuntu works well enough for me. MS YOU WILL REGRET THIS.] |
| tuxchick Jul 22, 2009 10:04 PM EDT |
OMG this is revolutionary. MS is now an open source company and one of the biggest contributors to Free Software! This is so cool, finally Linux is validated by a real company. Now we'll see all them hippies whipped into shape! |
| TxtEdMacs Jul 22, 2009 10:26 PM EDT |
TC, Please, please do not be such a push over and swallow the MS B.S. so quickly. At least await my receiving checks for real cash. Ok? YBT P.S. Once paid credit me with your new enlightenment. |
| tuxchick Jul 22, 2009 11:49 PM EDT |
The check's in the mail, TxtEdMacs. I mean enlightenment will soon be yours to attain. |
| jacog Jul 23, 2009 5:09 AM EDT |
Hmmmm... I, like most I imagine, regard them with much suspicion. Why a Moodle plugin? |
| Sander_Marechal Jul 23, 2009 5:43 AM EDT |
jacog: Easy. From the article:Quoting:Teachers and students can use their Windows Live IDs to sign in to Moodle, allowing them access to the Live Hotmail, Live Calendar, Windows Live Messenger and, finally, the Bing search engine. |
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