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Microsoft Deploys Linux, Open Software in Test Lab
securitas writes "Microsoft has deployed Linux and other open-source software in test labs used by business customers to experiment with Microsoft's products. The products include Linux, Apache, MySQL and Open LDAP directory-access software on Intel-based computers, according to Martin Taylor, who is in charge of Microsoft's Linux competitive strategy. He said the goal was to learn 'what can you do and how can you do it' using open-source software in a competitive analysis. This step comes after Microsoft's recent admission that Linux is Microsoft's biggest threat after economic conditions. Mirrors at CMPnetAsia and InternetWeek." It'd be cool to see some patches come from Redmond, but that's probably wishful thinking.
Is a Microsoft flavor of Linux coming? It could be this week's sign of the Apocalypse.
www.freshlymixed.com
Comment removed based on user account deletion
He said the goal was to learn 'what can you do and how can you do it' using open-source software in a competitive analysis.
You can find the new revised feature set for Longhorn here.
Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
MS Linux
"She's a West Texas girl, just like me" - G.W Bush Iraqis
You're being optimistic. 386 is my guess. Or even more dastardly, running it on a 286 and claim that Linux and its apps break on Intel hardware.
Jack
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde
The little editorial comment suggests that while it is unlikely that Microsoft will be releasing patches, it would be pretty cool.
The article is about Microsoft setting up Linux and open-source software on computers in test labs.
Hope that clears it up for you.
The world can be wrong today for once.
Once I read that, I felt a sudden compulsion to bathe...
There's a Mercedes gap too. I want one and can't afford one, but it's not government's job to do anything about it.
It's actually being emulated within Windows XP... that way engineers are exposed to a "regular" rate of crashing and don't get too suspicious.
The last thing Microsoft wants is for its engineers to switch over themselves.
diff -urN ms-linux/CREDITS linux/CREDITS
/*
--- ms-linux/CREDITS Wed Jul 31 17:39:29 2001
+++ linux/CREDITS Wed Jul 31 17:41:45 2001
@@ -973,8 +973,8 @@
-ALL YOUR BASE
+BELONGS TO US
*/
-- @rjamestaylor on Ello
Haven't they been, much their chagrin, running *nix for a while now (with their own software not being up to snuff to run Hotmail, they had to outsource hosting to someone who, of course, runs Unix?).
I do worry that, like they've done with other competitors and in the past, they'll just hobble Linux to make it run "like shareware stuff that's not very good" (actual Ballmer quote, BTW). "See, takes 30 mintues just to boot on this here top of the line computer! Now, if your time's worth money, lemme show you MS Server 2005: with new MS innovations like a display system that's network transparent, improved web browsing with our new "tabbed browsing" technology, and something that we're very proud of, MS Virtual desktops -- straight from research! -- that effectively multiply your visible work area without upgrading to a wall display. Only $500 bucks installation, and 35cents per computing minute for use. Whadda say?"
You know, history repeating itself?
Bill Gates claimed Microsoft is better at fixing software problems quickly than the open-source community.
And that's why some exploits found in IE in Windows XP are ALSO vulnerable in Windows 95.... and why it takes so long to put patches out... faster my foot.
Maybe they could put in a patch that would make Linux display a friendly blue screen when it crashes instead of a kernel panic message. Embrace and extend!
here is the linux computer
and here is the windows one
And the winner is......
the linux computer, since it didn't crash.
Why read the article when I can just make up a snap judgement?
I wouldn't mind Linux patches from Microsoft if they were tastefully embroidered, and matched the color of my jacket.
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming
No, not Darwin...
In the next few years, prepare for - Microsoft Hurd!!
And you were wondering why the nextgen OS was codenamed "Longhorn"....
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
There's only one true Longhorn.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Coming Fall of 2092.
Karma whorin' since 1999
Wow, somebody actually did pay SCO to license and use Linux!
--That's the point of being root, you can do anything you want, even if it's stupid.
OMG open source fagz r the onleey wunz who kan program properly!!!!@! If M$$$$$ does something right its becuz they STOLE from US OMG !!@ lol kthxbye
First Linux gets deployed for testing in a test lab at Microsoft.
In order to get it's performance down to a level that they can compare Microsoft software to it they start storing internal documents on it and tell internal users to use that store to stay current.
Since the internal servers are now getting fewer hits, they start consolidating some of the services they had spread across several servers onto fewer servers, freeing up those servers.
A few of the free servers get rouge installs of Linux with Samba, and people discover that they can actually store files on these servers with some reliable expectation of seeing the files again a couple of minutes down the line.
The Micorsoft Win2k+3 servers start to respond even faster to the test systems and more consolidation goes on.
Someone in the test lab isn't happy that the Linux boxes are still outperforming the Win2k+3 boxen, so he convinces management to use them as DHCP servers for the campus.
This frees up even more of the internal Win2k+3 servers from consolidation, and someone says, let's show that SQL Server is better than (insert favorite Open Sourc or proprietary RDB engine that runs on Linux here) and people in the company realize they are actually getting close to real time results off of these servers, and start migrating applications over to them.
Since Microsoft is trying to move to a dbfs anyway, even more of the internal infrastructure starts getting moved over to Linux as the original Microsoft OS servers are relieved of the duties that they were originally tasked with.
Marketing comes along and asks how the new Windows 2K+3 is going, and IT is able to say with a straight face:
"We were able to consolidate the entire campus server farm down to a single system runing Win2k+3. And since no-one in house is actually using it, response time and recovery from failures has become a non-issue. We are saving millions of dollars every year because the quiet migration to an all Linux infrastructure has reduced the actual demand for systems to the point that we have been able to reduce our electrical usage by shutting down systems and reducing the demands on the cooling systems significantly. Our phone support teams are somewhat confused as they are getting calls about server issues that they have never experienced, however our developers have been able to get Win2k+3 running on a VMWare image under Linux and we have been able to simulate the issues that customers have been experiencing, without actually loosing any data or having any significant down time."
Marketing, "Huh?".
Ok, it's not likely to happen, but we can fantasize.
-Rusty
You never know...
I thought this meant that MS-Linux had been released. In any case, if it had been, then I would have had to get my hands on a copy somehow and try it out just to see what they had done.
;-)
One thing that I would definitely expect is Apache patched with patched patches to make it MS-crash certified with virus-enabling features.
And we all know what comes from hurds... They rhyme with hurd, and they aptly describe MS' products...
You guessed it! The uber-new OS code named "turd".
"This step comes after Microsoft's recent admission that Linux is Microsoft's biggest threat after economic conditions."
Heh, doesn't this make anybody else just chuckle to themselves? It's like the lion saying that between a gopher, a squirrle and a rat, the gopher is it's biggest threat. I know it'll get modded flame or troll, but lets put things into realistic perspective here...
You need a FREE iPod Nano
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my underground lair. I have gathered here before me the world's deadliest hax0rs, and yet, each of you has failed to hack Linux! That makes me angry and when Dr. Bill gets angry, Mr. Bugglesworth gets upset and when Mr. Bugglesworth gets upset, innocent penguins die!
Why didn't I put that in plain text format! D'oh
>>It'd be cool to see some patches come from Redmond
They are going to bring GPL'ed and Open Sourced Software down by submitting their patches! Oh the humanity!!
Call the Stallminator!