

Microsoft unleashes 20,000 lines of Linux code - prakash
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=3403

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Periodic
The headline really doesn't hint at the nuances of this.

Microsoft released code to help Linux run in Microsoft's HyperV virtualization
system. Linux would run, just slower, without these drivers.

Releasing these drivers is likely a crucial step in getting HyperV adopted
outside of windows-only shops. Linux is a popular server OS. It is crucial
that they appeal to a large demographic, as they are competing with other
established virtualization vendors like VMWare.

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jsonscripter
And now we have the code! Woo!

There should be much rejoicing.

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rbanffy
It's a cookbook!

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

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naz
MSFT have certainly matured a lot in recent years. Windows 7 is looking good
and now they are contributing to open source projects. I think we can thank
Apple for forcing them to adapt.

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nopassrecover
I both agree and disagree with this comment.

To start with, Windows 7 is great but XP was pretty solid for its time too so
I'm not sure that Win 7 signals anything other than the fact they've had a new
hit.

However, there are segments within Microsoft that are working hard to get some
momentum for what might otherwise become a stagnant behemoth of a software
company. These cases are seeing Microsoft compromise old values in an effort
to create something new (for instance this as you've said and ASP.NET MVC as
another example).

Obviously it's all for profit but it's a good sign that it is still profitable
to innovate, even in a company whose established popularity and size would
typically mean that it stands to gain most from focusing on the "whole
product" (e.g. support etc.) if we take Moore's chasm viewpoint.

Whether we have Apple to thank for this I'm unsure though. I guess the
marketing efforts of Apple to make it cool have put a lot of pressure on
Windows in the last few years. Whether the way to beat this marketing attempt
by Apple is innovation is a deeper question.

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finebanana
According to this blog <http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=3433>, M$ did so
because otherwise it would be in violation of the GPL.

