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Microsoft Releases Linux Device Drivers As GPL
mjasay writes "Microsoft used to call the GPL 'anti-American.' Now, as Microsoft releases Hyper-V Linux Integration Components (LinuxIC) under the GPL (version 2), apparently Microsoft calls the GPL 'ally.' Of course, there was little chance the device drivers would be accepted into the Linux kernel base unless open source, but the news suggests a shift for Microsoft. It also reflects Microsoft's continued interest in undermining its virtualization competition through low prices, and may suggests concern that it must open up if it wants to fend off insurgent virtualization strategies from Red Hat (KVM), Novell (XEN), and others in the open-source camp. Microsoft said the move demonstrates its interest in using open source in three key areas: 1) Make its software development processes more efficient, 2) product evangelism, and 3) using open source to reduce marketing and sales costs or to try out new features that highlight parts of the platform customers haven't seen before."
Next they'll try to "extend" and "extinguish".
I deny that I have not avoided attaining the opposite of that which I do not want.
Microsoft might be trying to put their own "IP" and get it accepted into Linux distributions, only to sue later and claim Linux has their "IP" in it. After the SCO vs. IBM and Linux, and Microsoft suing Tom Tom over their Linux code accessing FAT tables on SD Cards, you have to wonder why Microsoft is releasing some of their "technology drivers" under the GPL for Linux when Microsoft has a history or suing over Linux or using SCO to sue over Linux in the past.
The SCO vs. IBM charge was that IBM took SCO Unix source code (It used to be Microsoft Xenix before it was sold to SCO) and you have to wonder if Microsoft was behind that lawsuit.
This kind of stuff makes one a bit paranoid about Microsoft releasing anything for Linux.
If Microsoft didn't have a past history of trying to sue over Linux, people like me wouldn't be this paranoid. I am sure I am not alone in thinking that, since this is Slashdot after all. Patent Trolls are a current theme here.
Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
The strategy is obvious...this driver is a selling point! M$ can claim that their windeuce servers can virtualize Red Hat very effectively, so that if a buyer were considering a Linux server, M$ can claim it works well on their systems. Also, this allows Red Hat to identify itself to the Interweb as running within windeuce, meaning M$ will have more relevant market share data, and they'll have it faster than anyone else.
Freedom at
They can sue for infringement of software patents.
Which is why they didn't use the GPLv3. They could have. They didn't, because they prefer to reserve the right to do exactly that.
-1 Uncomfortable Truth
Remember DHCP? MS came with that as an extension of bootp and with an RFC too. Surely a fortunate bug somewhere -that never was fixed- causing WfW not to comply, resulting in MS DHCP servers.
Remember NetBIOS over TCP? Where a clear algorithm was defined to map NetBIOS names to DNS. Not too unfortunately, in WfW the algorithm wasn't implemented causing incompatibilities between OS/2 and WfW, and making a transition from NetBIOS over NetBEUI a bigger pain than it should have been.
There must be more recent examples which I don't know about.
MS never gives a little without getting a lot. Stay clear of the b'stards.
I hadn't the slightest objection to his spending his time planning massacres for the bourgeoisie... (P.G. Wodehouse)
they will change the interface. It is normal MO for them; Embrace, Extend, Extinguish. MS does not know how to play nicely together.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.