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Microsoft Hires Director of Linux Interoperability
AlexGr sends us to Todd Bishop's blog in the Seattle PI for news that Microsoft has brought someone aboard to serve as its Director of Linux Interoperability and head up the Microsoft/Novell Interoperability Lab. "...his name will be familiar to people in the open-source community. In an e-mail late Thursday night, a Microsoft representative said the role will be filled by Tom Hanrahan, who was most recently the director of engineering at the Linux Foundation, the group created through the recent combination of the Free Standards Group and the Open Source Development Labs."
Judas ! Go to the creationist museum where you belong.
NOW things will finally start getting better between MS and Linux!
Twinstiq, game news
Can you imagine how bad that guy gets razzed by his coworkers?!
Are you sure you don't mean... SATAN!???
...back in those days, it amounted to little more than a means to migrate from Netware to an NT domain. The Unix compatibility stuff that exists now amounts to about the same. I wonder what Microsoft has in mind with all this? It would be weird if it was more than "one way" compatibility.
Yet another Linux person that will work at MSFT for a short bit, then get the heck outta Redmond once he sees how screwed up things really are from the inside.
Evil is insidious.
How we know is more important than what we know.
You never hear stories of angels going down to hell to spruce things up, do you?
"Thanks for all the money you paid to us. We've used it to buy off ISO among other things" -Microsoft
I still think MS will have a linux variant by 2015.
They have the resources, support and money... it's just not a huge threat to them at the time being.
"Please, shut up. Just when I think you can't say anything more stupid, you speak again." -Archie Bunker.
Bill: Tom, I am your father.
Tom: Really?
Bill: No, but I hve tons of money for you!
Tom: Dark side it is!
I believe the title should be: Microsoft Hires Director of Linux Inoperability Slashdot should read through their posts more carefully in the future, so that typos like this doesn't happen.
That is what Microsoft would do if they were serious about interoperability with anyone. They'd support ODF -- natively, not through some third-party open source plugin. They'd drop OpenXML. And they'd stop lobbying governments who want to stardardize on a real document format.
Or, hell, send some developers over to the Wine project.
Since none of this is happening, I can only assume that this "Linux interoperability" guy is either a complete hypocrite, or is going to have no real power within the company.
Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
He doesn't have to anything at all
I have no idea why, but for some reason "Director of Linux Interoperability" brings to mind the US Drug Czar and the War on Drugs
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not entirely sure about the universe - Einstein
Cut the guy some slack, they're probably holding his family hostage. Seriously though, MS issue recruitment staff with MIB memory blanker gizmos. You meet, POOF!, and then believe them when they say "We are your friends! Ak. Akak Ak Ak!"
...Vista is just another Linux distribution. Buying Novell was the first step in establishing IP claims on Linux. The suits have already arrived to take away Linux...we just don't know it yet. This of course won't stop those of us who really know how Linux came about...but when Microsoft is done they will have the masses believing they invented it. Just my 2 cents. Hedghog
As director of Linux sue-ability?
I realize this was meant as "funny", but ... resist ... modding ... "flamebait" ...
Must
My other car is a 1984 Nark Avenger.
And Brad Smith, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Microsoft, is rumoured to have gotten quite concerned about this development. After reading case law on "duty of care" that an employer ought extend to employees he has arranged for Tom Hanrahan to immediately go on advanced "object avoidance course" which will be taught by crack martial arts instructors. Microsoft is refusing to confirm rumours that Hanrahan is currently in a Seattle gymn with 10 instructors & a number of pieces of "office furniture".
But they won't. MS's prime directive remains to put Windows wherever they possibly can. My feeling is that this move will open up some subsystems like SMB, but only to any distributor that signs up to the agreement. I wonder how many patents Samba would fall foul of if Microsoft decided to enforce their patents?
of embrace, extend then extinguish.
6F 9E A9 1E 96 9F 74 27 ED B8 81 6D 0C 4E 1E 78
My other Sig is a 229.
Oh yeah - Fletch referring to "that pederast Hanrahan".
Guy must have gone through hell when that movie came out.
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
Does this mean he will actually see the putative patents MS has been rattling its sabers about?
It would be good news.
If we lived in that universe where "Director of Linux Interoperability" actually meant what you think it means. Unfortunately, out in the REAL WORLD, that title actually means "Director of increasing the perception of interoperability with Linux system while actually making them less compatible."
So yeah, keep living in your dream world.
How we know is more important than what we know.
Predicted further Ministries:
Didn't Microsoft and Sun sign a deal to "interoperate" a few years ago? Where has THAT gone?
BTW, Microsoft does not want to interoperate with Linux and OSS. They want it gone, so any "talk" about deals and smoke-mirror agreements will only flounder, stall, and drag on forever. Anybody who believe otherwise is just fooling themselves.
LoB
"Anyone who stands out in the middle of a road looks like roadkill to me." --Linus
cash being injected is NOT a problem. Trying to kill Linux or trying to make it subservient is. If you think that is an attempt to provide interoperability and not part of the EEE plan, well, then you do not know your history.
In addition, on your next post, please spend at least 1/2 of the time talking about the subject rather than about your mod points. For all of that whining, you should be modded down.
I can't wait to read all sorts of interesting theories on how this will really work from people who have never been inside Microsoft, yet feel the need to 'enlighten' us with their ignorance. In order to help us positively identify people most participating in groupthink, please use one or more of the following memes so we can divvy out moderation points faster:
* Ballmer throwing chairs
* Embrace, extend, extinguish
* Clippy hate
* Funny BSOD jokes
In the meantime, I'm curious who took the job, because people will hate them for no reason now. Ah zealotry, without thee, what would I do on this site?
I'd say much sooner than that. These days Microsoft's cash cow is Office, not Windows. As GWB is having some trouble in maintaining his Google bomb, Microsoft will soon realize that MS-Office in Linux is a better business model for them than OpenOffice in Linux.
I'm really disappointed in the lack of "itsatrap" comments and tags...slackers
When I have a kid, I want to put him in one of those strollers for twins and then run around the mall looking frantic.
Everytime I see Microsoft and Linux in the same article, all I have to say is:
Microsoft is becoming more evil, I don't like what they're doing one bit.
There are definately alterior motives going on for M$, and I hope all the Linux distros stand up again them.
Competition fosters innovation. If M$ gets rid of the competition, they will have no innovation.
Oh wait...that already is the case. Can anyone remember the last real innovation that come out of M$?
Shameless plug alert: Game server control panel
Would some of those who seem to have a brain built for more than just Pro Linux or pro Linux or anti- whatever rants PLEASE comment on whether they think this will be a good thing or a bad thing and why? because I don't know a thing about this person.
...Open Source isn't the only answer -- but it's almost always a better value than the alternatives...
I some how doubt it, this is MSFT after all.
This looks like window dressing.
If somebody is lulled into a false sense of security , so much the better.
In a year or two we may know if this is sincere. I doubt it.
Anything else is just smoke and mirrors.
Reminds me of "We're from the government and we're here to help." To which the reply goes, "You're confusing me, which is it? You're from the government, or you're here to help?"
Microsoft having someone with the title of "Director of Linux Interoperability" is one of those euphemisms. He's not going to improve interoperability, but he'll be addressing interoperability. Much of the interoperability between Microsoft operating systems and Linux have happened despite Microsoft, not with Microsoft's help. They fought SAMBA, for example.
Please remember Microsoft's long history of polluting standards and interfaces. They buggered such standards as HTML and Java. They have everything to lose with interoperability, and very little to gain. If they believe in interoperability, they would not oppose the move to open document standards.
Best regards.
Not having cash put into it has NEVER been an aim of Linux, or of open source in general.
In the case of Google, Sun and IBM their interests are aligned with improving Linux. On the other hand MS can only lose if Linux improves (and increased interoperability with the dominant OS would be an improvement), so it is reasonable to expect that they are somehow trying to damage Linux - it makes no sense for them to do anything else.
I know that yes/no/maybe/haha weren't entirely useful as tags except for a quick laugh (not debating the inherent usefulness of tags at all, which I feel debatable).
itsatrap would be completely apropos here.
Just sayin'... the tagging system currently may as well be a checkbox list of categories. Not exactly user generated.
linuzz rocks
OMG MS copies Apple again
Slashdot = -1 Redundant, Asperger, kdawson FUD, Libertarian, and Linux
I hate this too.
It's like advertising: by generating news related to both Microsoft and Linux nearly every day they want people to make an automatic association between the two names; since Microsoft didn't succeed in destroying Linux, they're trying to get the role of Linux's most important authority in the world, taking away public attention from true Linux distributors.
I'm pretty sure this is one of their main goals; don't know if it's the first or a secondary one though.
If you were not trying to be a troll or flamebait-ish, you would drop the "Linuzzz" as was pointed out to you yesterday.
If you want to be taken seriously (as most people who are saying M$ at times drop it when they're making a more sober, interesting point), drop the High School Nerd flamebait attitude.
And, while you're at it, saying, "I know you're going to mod this flamebait" only works when its a slightly offensive statement, not a statement filled with sophomoric jargon. (not to mention that you don't know what you're talking about).
My Babylon
Hanrahan's first task will be to come up with a catchy slogan to summarize Microsoft's position on Linux...
"Not an actor, but he plays one on TV."
"Would some of those .. PLEASE comment on whether they think this will be a good thing or a bad thing"
It'll be good for MS and bad for the Linux Foundation. It's like when the Nuclear industry used to hire on as consultants top people in the anti-nuclear lobby. The opposition is diluted and you get a potential vocal critic silenced.
Re:Forgive my ignorance but...
davecb5620@gmail.com
http://www.reactos.org
It's looking vaguely possible, though it is in an early alpha.
Resistance is futile. Your technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. You will become one with the morgue
It's a trap!!!
All jokes aside, I wouldn't wish that on anybody/thing.
My Babylon
It's probably just a PR stunt to advertise how serious Microsoft is about making sure that every large corporation that uses Linux signs a Novell or Xandros style deal.
Linux isn't free until you pay Microsoft. That's free as in unencumbered by lawsuits, not free as in beer or speech.
Microsoft doesn't play with words like that. Just think of all the genuine advantages windows provides to users through WGA.
I was definitely thinking something similar except I was thinking the new War Czar position Bush is creating. I guess they will both serve the same purpose, deflecting responsibility.
I think the invisible hand of the market has its middle finger extended
--A wise old fart named SC0RN
I was tired of the low-res director guy
Vote for global prefs bug
The sceptic in me assumes that this is microsofts attempt to increase the "Interoperability" of all the security bugs, etc., which now mostly plague windows, so they will function equally well in Linux. In this way they level the playing field.... microsofts next quote: "Linux is now proven to be just as insecure as windows, and we'll send every lawyer we employ after you if you suggest that it's out fault !!"
Now if only I could metamoderate with "Amusing." ;)
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
Tom, if you happen to read Slashdot, just how many of Novell's 30 pieces of silver do you get?
Sera
Slashdot, where armchair scientists get shouted down and armchair theologians get modded up.
You have to understand what "interop" means.
The idea is a simple one. You want to lock people into your own platform while providing a migration path away from the other platforms. In short you want your customers to see all other platforms as legacy systems.
This is the entire process behind SUA, Identity Services for UNIX, and the like.
It is also the idea behind Samba, WINE, Mono, etc.
Thus, from a Linux perspective, while it would make my life easier to have more UNIX/Linux interop from Microsoft, what we really need to help Linux along is better Windows interop for Linux. This means Samba 4 (with AD DC support), ideally a DCE/RPC implementation that is network compatable with DCOM, better support of Word Documents in Abiword and OOo, and the like. In short, Linux needs to be able to interop with Windows on every level, while forcing Microsoft to play catch-up in this game.
LedgerSMB: Open source Accounting/ERP
"Hanrahan! What are you doing?"
"Nothin!"
"Well, keep it up, you're doing a great job."
Remember that when Microsoft was trying to get into the file/print/email server game, Novell was the leader in the field. But to win, Microsoft merely had to more or less match their functionality and throw in some price cuts and desktop tie-ins to sweeten the deal.
With Linux, this is harder. They can't use a price advantage to 'choke off the air supply'. Or can they? To me, that's what the Novell patent deal is all about (from MS's point of view, at least). To un-freeify Linux. Microsoft is confident that they can compete on a level playing field. After all, they have a huge starting advantage, plus they still have the ability to tie their server products to their desktop products. But they can no longer undercut on price. That is, unless they convince the marketplace that free Linux is illegal, and the only way to get Linux is to pay Novell's price. Then they can once again price Novell out of the market.
At least one of the Linux-esque ways of doing business is running servers for free, or at least without per-seat licensing. If that goes away, at least a large part of those Linux fans will lose some of their attachment.
Posted from my Android phone. Oh, I can change this? There, that's better...
Not to mention, the posts which tell the moderators how they should moderate.
Tharkban (It is a signature after all)
Or, you could say he's got the 3rd easiest job in the world, right up there with the Maytag repairman and Rush Limbaugh's fact checker.
This is like Microsoft Works(tm), isn't it?
Please stop stalking me, bro.
It's a good & respectable point of view, but, why all those stupid/unfunded comments about Linux violating copyright laws of MS?
How can you team up with someone who's stealing from you? or so they say......
In my opinion the open source community should be more careful in deciding if they are gonna team up with a giant corporation which basically is showing you 2 faces...
RUPERT! I TOLD YOU TO WATCH THE BAGS! You were looking at the boys again, WEREN'T YOU.
In other news:
* War is Peace
* Freedom is Slavery
* Ignorance is Strength
Funny, I was expecting them to hire ex-FEMA director Michael Brown for this position.
include $sig;
1;
Ummm...Surface.
--"insert clever quote here"
And don't forget the parodies these post chains always get.
Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
No, Rush Limbaugh's fact checker is there to make sure there are no actual facts there.
Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
I, for one, am currently downloading every distribution of Linux I can get my hands on!
Exactly.
"Microsoft Hires Director of Linux Interoperability"
translates as
"Fox wants to interoperate with henhouse". All in the name of efficiency, of course. For the fox.
In my opinion, there is a lot of misunderstanding about Microsoft. People get confused, and think Microsoft is a software company that is abusive. But maybe a better explanation is that Microsoft is an abuse company that uses software as its vehicle to deliver abuse.
REAL managers can make a profit without being adversarial. Managers who have difficulty thinking carefully must work for abusive companies.
Sure we'll all work together for a rosier future.
Engineering is the art of compromise.
Correction. I should have said:
Foxes want to interoperate with penguins. Only to help the world, of course. And because foxes think penguins are cute. (Copyright Fox P.R. agency 2007)
Windows Vista
Windows Vista Home Basic (and Home Basic N) - A simple version of Windows Vista that is aimed at single PC homes.
Windows Vista Home Premium - Whole home entertainment and personal productivity throughout the home and on the go.
Windows Vista Business (and Business N) - Previously Windows Vista Professional Edition, Windows Vista Business is roughly analogous to XP Pro today.
Windows Vista Enterprise - Optimized for the enterprise, this version will be a true superset of Windows Vista Pro Edition.
Windows Vista Ultimate - "The best operating system ever offered for a personal PC," optimized for the individual.
Netscape and Stac were the first things that came into my head, too, followed by WordPerfect.
I notice that GP didn't reply, but then what could he say!?
If you want your life to be different, live it differently.
of Embrace, Extend, Extinguish.
Cynical? You bet...
I run: Windows, OS X, Linux, FreeBSD. Just because you have a hammer, doesn't mean everything is a nail.
...and now a Ministry of Interoperatability. What will come next?
Rove, I thought they put your brain in a vat after Cheney stole your heart during his last bypass surgery??
You are addressing me as "Rove"?
I should consider that an insult, but then, maybe you've forgotton that /. removes <sarcasm> tags from sigs as well as postings. The fact that the rat-bastard weasle spin-meister is appointed and not elected should be a big tip-off.
My other car is a 1984 Nark Avenger.