Microsoft Gives 20,000 Lines of Code to Linux

[Marcus Yam]

That's right, Microsoft's giving something to Linux. For free.

Microsoft Gives 20,000 Lines of Code to Linux : Read more

 

[ben850]

bricks have been shat

 

[audioee]

Did hell just freeze over? Oh wait, that will happen when the Chicago Cubs win the World Series!!

 

[maigo]

No, hell did not freeze over. You'll need a copy of Windows and a license to run the virtualization. They've just gotten a bunch of LINUX users to install Windows. Instant money!

 

[nekatreven]

This is a good thing, but Microsoft is still doing much more "lets make their stuff work with Windows" than they are "lets make our stuff work with Linux".

I'm holding onto my bricks until they do a bit more of the latter.

 

[hikayu]

microsoft and free on the sameline ? i must be high !

 

[salem80]

MS not give up..
give with one hand and take with the other

 

[domenic]

MS, like any other corp, is looking after its own interest.

 

[megamanx00]

Latter they will probably say "Hey, Linux is using some of our patents. The fact that we put them there is besides the point".

 

[NewJohnny]

So, a free pass for Linux to ride the Microsoft bus? How generous.

 

[Guest]

MS is trying to sabotage linux now.

 

[Guest]

Well thought out!
It requires a Windows operating system to make benefit of the virtualization.

It's most likely an attempt to convert people running Windows in a virtual environment from a Linux platform, to running either Windows, or Linux in a virtual environment in a Windows platform.

 

[adamovera]

One question - Why would anyone want to run a secure and stable OS as a virtualized guest on an unsecure host OS? Running Windows on a Linux host makes perfect sense, I'm not sure about the other way around. But at the end of the day interoperability is interoperability, and that's always a good thing.

 

[doomtomb]

I'm thinking Microsoft would rather help out Linux than Google Chrome OS (I know their similar, yes).

 

[doc70]

well, you have to admit it's a smart move and everybody gains something. MS will not lose anything, Linux users will not migrate en-masse to Windows just for a bunch of code lines but will benefit from interoperability and it just expands our options (including keeping the option of not doing anything about it, as some of you are thinking already).
Don't be bitching about being offered more options, bitch about the opposite if that's the case!

 

[WheelsOfConfusion]

They had to release the source because they used GPL2 code to make this work. Derivative work needs to be release to satisfy the licensing agreement.

Besides which, these drivers help MS Server-based machines run Linux guests with better speed, which improves customer satisfaction for those who have Hyper-V systems installed without them having to turn to Linux before MS.

 

[computabug]

Noo! Don't adulterate the only fully funtional suite of OS distro's remaining!

Or I could just use 9.04 Kubuntu for the rest of my life...

 

[hemelskonijn]

doomtomb:

They released the code under the GPLv2 license so they are effectively helping any one that is able to use the released code in any way they chose to.
If google wants to use it they are free to and so are you.

On-topic:

Now it would be way cooler if some used the released bulk of code to reverse engineer the "other" side of the VM and in turn wrote some nice scripts in support of wine.

Awww how i love to dream.
And BTW Gooooodmorning every one !

 

[Guest]

There's no pleasing you primitive apes, is there?

 

[ohim]

such an aggresion from the linux boys ... at this point you`re so deep with your heads in your asses that even if MS would say from tomorrow on windows will be free, you`ll still be bashing MS, so much hate.

 

[randomizer]

[citation][nom]ProDigit80[/nom]Well thought out!It requires a Windows operating system to make benefit of the virtualization.It's most likely an attempt to convert people running Windows in a virtual environment from a Linux platform, to running either Windows, or Linux in a virtual environment in a Windows platform.[/citation]
Which isn't going to happen because most Linux users either:

1) Had Linux installed by a friend/relative and don't know what virtualisation is, or

2) Hate Windows (or simply prefer linux) and have no reason to run Windows as the host OS.

 

[Regulas]

Watch your back Linux community. I trust MS about as much as I trust Washington and that ain't saying much. They both always have alterer motives that serve them, not you.

 

[annymmo]

The performance wasn't the problem!
The problem was that there where binary blobs in the drivers.
And Microsoft hasn't taken it up, some outside Linux developer who has good connections with the right people persuaded them to do this!
Microsoft could have some legal trouble because they were violating the GPL and can get sued for that.

http://linux-network-plumber.blogspot.com/2009/07/congratulations-microsoft.html

 

[doc70]

[citation][nom]nekatreven[/nom]This is a good thing, but Microsoft is still doing much more "lets make their stuff work with Windows" than they are "lets make our stuff work with Linux".I'm holding onto my bricks until they do a bit more of the latter.[/citation]
of course they do that, it's their OS, what would you do if it was yours? Actually, they're responsible for making other stuff work with their OS just because it's an OS and therefore other programs are supposed to run on top of it. If you wanted the other way around, it should be the Linux community's job to provide that kind of support because it's their OS. That's how things work... If you build a house on my land I could tell you ( if I'm nice ) what is the building ground like so you know how to adjust to it, but I don't have to tell you how to actually build it. Sorta/kinda same thing here...

 

[tenor77]

Beware Romans bearing gifts.