Understanding Microsoft's Linux code shocker

[septprince]

Microsoft dropped a mini-bombshell on Monday, announcing that it is contributing thousands of lines of code for inclusion in Linux.
But lest anyone think Microsoft suffered a massive head trauma over the weekend, the code it is releasing isn't really about helping Linux compete better with Microsoft. The drivers are really geared at making Windows a better host for Linux.
"The Linux device drivers we are releasing are designed so Linux can run in enlightened mode, giving it the same optimized synthetic devices as a Windows virtual machine running on top of Hyper-V," Tom Hanrahan, director of Microsoft's Open Source Technology Center, said in a statement. "Without this driver code, Linux can run on top of Windows, but without the same high performance levels."
As noted by CNET Blog Network writer Matt Asay, Microsoft is releasing three drivers for Linux under the GPL that governs Linux.
Although Microsoft has released open-source code in the past, the company has generally favored licenses other than the GPL. That said, the GPL is the way into the Linux kernel and Microsoft wants this code in Linux.
In an article on its press Web site, Microsoft acknowledged the departure. The company has also been going after Linux for years, both on the marketing and legal fronts.

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[petrossa]

Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes

 

[wwoods]

Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes

Microsoft isnt a greek company....calm down.

 

[SamW]

This certainly is an interesting move from Microsoft, especially considering the release of Win Server 2008 R2 being upon us.

As a sys. admin of many Linux servers, I welcome this from Microsoft - but I am weary of their true intentions behind this...

 

[Tews]

Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes

+1

 

[mickey megabyte]

it's latin

 

[Catswold]

it's latin

Ah yes but it is admonishing the bewaring of Greeks and the gifts they bring. Ergo wwoods coment is apropros.

Very few Americans learn the Classics anymore or Latin...For that matter, very few Americans learn any language anymore and have great difficulty with their own.

We remain a clueless society when it comes to other cultures. This has only become worse with the continued decline in education here.

Being an antique, I am a rare exception. I studied, variously, Spanish, Latin, German, and French. Can hardly speak a word of any of them these days, but I studied them. :devil2:

On the otherhand, that education greatly expanded my knowledge and understanding of English and expanded my vocabulary beyond my ability to spell the words I'm using.:roflmao:

It would appear that TEWS is an exception as well.

 

[Catswold]

Perhaps he should have said:

Timeo Microsoft et dona ferentes

 

[mickey megabyte]

Very few Americans learn Latin anymore...

i think this is a world-wide phenomenon - very few people (period) learn latin anymore...

one of the perils of being a dead language i suppose!

at school (30 or so years ago) i had the choice between german and latin - i decided german would be a little more useful...

 

[Catswold]

For those in science, back in my days at college, studying Latin with French or German was very useful for those majoring in the sciences. I suppose a knowledge of Japanese, Mandarin or Gujarati might be more useful now

Although, they are doing some great stuff over there at CERN.

 

[Tews]

It would appear that TEWS is an exception as well.

I was in seminary a long time ago ... I remember translating Ciceros' oration against Cataline from Greek to Latin ... good times

 

[fseal]

This certainly is an interesting move from Microsoft, especially considering the release of Win Server 2008 R2 being upon us.

As a sys. admin of many Linux servers, I welcome this from Microsoft - but I am weary of their true intentions behind this...

True intention seems pretty obvious

They want people to be able to run Windows Server to host virtual machines for flavors of Windows AND Linux. Currently Linux does not run as well and so people may use other software to run Linux VMs seperately from their Windows VMs.

Being able to run Linux (well) as a VM under Windows Server makes Windows Server more attractive as a product.

 

[SamW]

True intention seems pretty obvious

They want people to be able to run Windows Server to host virtual machines for flavors of Windows AND Linux. Currently Linux does not run as well and so people may use other software to run Linux VMs seperately from their Windows VMs.

Being able to run Linux (well) as a VM under Windows Server makes Windows Server more attractive as a product.

True, but it seems like a bit of a double-ended sword... Surely microsoft will want people to virtualise THEIR OS, over Linux.

Perhaps this is a long-term plan from Microsoft, making this code available now to boost sales of the Hyper-V server, then as time goes on try to make Windows servers in virtualisation look more attractive than Linux servers.

Or they could genuinely be being nice and giving users a bit more linux-like freedom

 

[Catswold]

BTW, the word "bewaring" comes Bernard in the episode of "Yes Minister" in which they were discussing this very phrase.

That series was the best political satire ever produced.

Sorry, back on topic...whatever the reason, you can bet there are $$$ behind it. At first blush it appears to be a sound business decision. Broaden the appeal of Server 2008.

 

[petrossa]

i think this is a world-wide phenomenon - very few people (period) learn latin anymore...

one of the perils of being a dead language i suppose!

at school (30 or so years ago) i had the choice between german and latin - i decided german would be a little more useful...

Sorry OT
i had to take both and stank at both. All these subjugations drove me bonkers. Later i tried my hand at Tsjech but found out is has 7 forms of subjugation and each word in a phrase is subjugated separately according to gender and context.

 

[newmo]

Classical languages AND you know about Yes Minister.

Quite a few Europeans wouldn't associate that with Texas....

I opted for German over Ancient Greek but have had the benefit of Latin (not a benefit at the time but appreciated now).

As for MS's "gift"...I've always been led to believe that Linux offers good protection against Trojans

 

[mickey megabyte]

greeks, trojans - see what he's done here? :roflmao:

 

[Catswold]

Shouldn't the original be translated "Beware of geeks bearing .gifs?":roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:


...Sorry. I'm going to go PUNish myself now.

 

[Catswold]

Classical languages AND you know about Yes Minister.

Quite a few Europeans wouldn't associate that with Texas....

I opted for German over Ancient Greek but have had the benefit of Latin (not a benefit at the time but appreciated now).

As for MS's "gift"...I've always been led to believe that Linux offers good protection against Trojans

Why shucks y'all, we even got indoor plumbin' down here. Yeesh haven't we grown beyond that sort of parochial view of the South yet.

BTW I understand the Trojans offer great protection as well :devil2:

 

[petrossa]

Why shucks y'all, we even got indoor plumbin' down here. Yeesh haven't we grown beyond that sort of parochial view of the South yet.

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