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Microsoft Gets a New Open Source Chief

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the he-gets-a-spiffy-hat dept.

mjasay writes "Microsoft just promoted Sam Ramji to run its growing Linux and open source operations. The former head of Microsoft's Open Source Software Lab, Ramji has a long history with open source, having built out large-scale open-source based applications while at Ofoto, and continuing to run applications like World of Warcraft and Office 2003 on WINE. Microsoft has been putting increasingly open-source savvy people in this role, starting with Jason Matusow and most recently employing Bill Hilf in the role. Ramji has made friends with many in the open-source business and development communities, but will his promotion spell any sort of an about-face for Microsoft in its patent policies? It's unlikely, but at least it demonstrates a step in the right direction."

15 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. go sam! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man, I loved his work with the Spiderman movies. I didn't know he was an open source advocate to.

    1. Re:go sam! by moderatorrater · · Score: 3, Funny

      Wait, I thought he was the one that carried Frodo up the mountain; I'm so confused.

    2. Re:go sam! by CowboyNealOption · · Score: 2, Funny

      The hardest part is having to wear a helmet all day to avoid head injuries from flying chairs.

  2. Microsoft's open source staff by heroine · · Score: 4, Funny

    Good to see Ratatouille got a job after the restaurant gig failed.

  3. I KNOW!! I KNOW!!! by bhunachchicken · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Microsoft Gets a New Open Source Chief"

    Is it Miguel de Icaza?!! Is it??!

    (reads summary)

    Awwwwww... disappointment... :)

    --
    THE HONOUR OF THE KNIGHTS - CC Licensed Sci-Fi Novel
  4. Re:Not a step in the right direction by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 2, Funny

    That policy is set at the top and won't change until Ballmer and Gates are gone for good.
    This just in: The Free Software Foundation has retained the consulting services of Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, who will perform undisclosed services for an undisclosed fee.

    --
    My blog
  5. Re:I smell a trap ... by garett_spencley · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Yes, you are nothing more than a stupid communist open-sores loving fucktard who should go slit your fucking wrists. Not across, but down your fucking wrists so there will be one less fucktard in the gene pool."

    If I do it I expect a "Thank-you card".

  6. Re:Not Patents by powerlord · · Score: 4, Funny

    Isn't MS Office on Linux blasphemy?


    Hah!

    Personally I run MS Office under WINE, running on a RedHat EL4 Virtual Machine accessed hosted on a VMWare's ESX Server (which uses RedHat EL3), accessed through a Windows client running on a WinXP Virtual Machine running under Parallels on top of OS X.

    What?

    You don't?
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  7. Makes a lot of sense. by lancejjj · · Score: 4, Funny

    GM has a VP for Quality. Exxon has a VP for Environmental Protection. Why shouldn't Microsoft have a VP of Open Source technologies?

  8. Re:I smell a trap ... by mooingyak · · Score: 2, Funny

    And, of course, Microsoft Windows is an anagram for 'Moo cow swift rinds'

    Not sure what that's about though.

    --
    William of Ockham had no beard. The most likely explanation is that it was chewed off by squirrels every morning.
  9. Re:Not Patents by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    under WINE, running on a RedHat EL4 Virtual Machine accessed hosted on a VMWare's ESX Server (which uses RedHat EL3), accessed through a Windows client running on a WinXP Virtual Machine running under Parallels on top of OS X.
    ... which is the modern equivalent of a twenty-foot pole, right?
  10. Re:Not Patents by Corpuscavernosa · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah that's exactly what I meant. Shit. Wasn't paying attention.

    --
    We figured out a long time ago that it's easier to elect seven judges than to elect 132 legislators.
  11. Microsoft's Linux operations? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    They are talking about SCO, aren't they?

  12. Re:Not Patents by m.ducharme · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wasn't aware MS was supporting OOXML yet either...

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  13. I see your hah! and raise you Hah! Hah! by EmbeddedJanitor · · Score: 4, Funny

    I run Wine so that I can run Cygwin and have a bash terminal running under Linux!

    --
    Engineering is the art of compromise.