Microsoft is The Linux Foundation's newest Platinum member.

[HW3]

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-completes-its-linux-journey-joins-the-linux-foundation/

[Commander Wallace]

I never thought I would see this. This really is a sad day for those trying to get away from Microsoft.

[Skybird]

When I see how they wage war against their W10 and W7 users, all my instincts say that if the same company tries to get its hands deeper into Linux, nothign good can come from this - except for Microsoft.

Their policy does not change all of a sudden. A wolf remains a wolf, even when eating chalk and singing Nat King Coole love songs and wearing a sheep's fur. A wolf remains a wolf.

Nothing good will come from this in the long run. Not for us private end consumers. Mark my words. This story in the long run will turn against us. They already say it shamelessly open: "cloud services". I would use these for save game files at best. And even then would make copies at home. Linux using Microsoft clouds? Thinking of a compromised system here.

Yes, if one has not noticed it: I am completely and totally pissed by this news.

[Rockin Robbins]

As soon as I read the sentence "Microsoft has changed." I knew everyhing after that sentence was invalid. Microsoft has not changed. They still have the same strategies that spelled the death of many, many software companies as they embraced, extended and eliminated the competition.

That being said, as long as Microsoft doesn't get into the kernel, and it won't as long as Torvalds is running that show, and as long as it doesn't get into the core software of the distros, which it won't, all they're doing is making their crap available to Linux users. Dot Net is one thing that Linux would benefit from, at least for WINE applications. Online Office applications (ka-ching!), cloud Outlook stuff, yada yada doesn't invade Linux. It just lets MS Drones use what they're used to. The normal Linux crowd will yawn and ignore the elephant in the room.

And it is true that Linux has an Achilles Heel. Its militant open source background is adamantly opposed to any commercial software at all. However, proprietary software is the way business works in the US. The lifeblood of any operating system is the games that play on it. Open sourcing Direct X would suddenly make Linux not only attractive, but nearly unavoidable.

Seems like Microsoft is just tired of Windows. Maybe they're looking for a way to abandon it and keep their markets working after the transition?

Doesn't matter. The proper attitude of a Linux user is awareness that Microsoft is a shark. Now they're swimming in our pool and they must be watched and defended against constantly. The only thing you can trust a shark to do is to be a shark. We have to retain control of the pool.

[Skybird]

The more software for Linux bases and needs stuff done by Microsoft for Linux, the more Micorsoft can dictate conditions and influence Linux. In fact this is what Microsoft aims at, in its long term strategy - to make Microsoft indispensable for Linux. Then they are the masters of the house. And you can imagine how that will end. Like the last time, with Windows.

This is no good option to tolerate. The problem is not the possibilities and options and plans and stratehies. The problem is the player, and his proven underhanded reputation.

[Commander Wallace]

Doesn't matter. The proper attitude of a Linux user is awareness that Microsoft is a shark. Now they're swimming in our pool and they must be watched and defended against constantly. The only thing you can trust a shark to do is to be a shark. We have to retain control of the pool.

Like Roy Scheider said in jaws, " I think we're gonna need a bigger boat " :yep: