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Ask Slashdot: Should We Worry Microsoft Will 'Embrace, Extend, and Extinguish' Linux? (betanews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the closer-look dept.

BrianFagioli writes: While there is no proof that anything nefarious is afoot, it does feel like maybe the Windows-maker is hijacking the Linux movement a bit by serving distros in its store. I hope there is no "embrace, extend, and extinguish" shenanigans going on.

Just yesterday, we reported that Kali Linux was in the Microsoft Store for Windows 10. That was big news, but it was not particularly significant in the grand scheme, as Kali is not very well known. Today, there is some undeniably huge news -- Debian is joining SUSE, Ubuntu, and Kali in the Microsoft Store. Should the Linux community be worried?

My concern lately is that Microsoft could eventually try to make the concept of running a Linux distro natively a thing of the past. Whether or not that is the company's intention is unknown. The Windows maker gives no reason to suspect evil plans, other than past negative comments about Linux and open source. For instance, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer once called Linux "cancer" -- seriously.

6 of 431 comments (clear)

  1. Sorry Conspiracy Theorists by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Linux is way too fucking big and popular to be squashed. It isn't just used by the unwashed IT professional, but too many corporations depend on it for Microsoft to be able to hurt the project.

    1. Re:Sorry Conspiracy Theorists by MachineShedFred · · Score: 4, Insightful

      More than that, Microsoft's previous extinguishing of competitive products were all closed-source for-profit corporations. How do you extinguish something that is free, open, and worked on by thousands of volunteers?

      It's one thing to deprive a competitor of revenue until they collapse under the weight of their own expenses. It's quite another to try to erase an idea from the Internet. Open software is here for good, and Linux with it.

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    2. Re:Sorry Conspiracy Theorists by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Also being that Linux Subsystem on Windows, isn't turned on by default and takes effort to get it going, with it acting more like a Linux distribution in a virtual box. I don't see this as Part of the EEE strategy. It is more of a plug a hole so people just don't uninstall windows to use Linux primarily strategy.
      Linux has been doing fine without Microsoft, it isn't like Lotus 123, or Word Perfect which business required Microsoft to play nice with them. Linux being its own OS, can run just fine without Microsoft. Microsoft needs LSW more then Linux needs it.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  2. Re:sheesh, the paranoia is strong with this one by MightyYar · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, I mean, they have a track record of doing both of those things. So no, they can't really escape distrust and cynicism no matter what they do. Their only out is to slowly regain trust - which I think they are doing. But they dug their hole - don't feel bad that they need to work hard to scratch back out.

    --
    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  3. What, me worry? by mfinn999 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In order for the Embrace, Extend, Extinguish to happen, Microsoft would have to release a version of Linux that then gets used by most existing Linux users, enough that other distributions then give up, then Microsoft does as well.

    In contrast, adding Linux to windows as an "app" is not going to do anything to the existing Linux user base.

    So to answer the question...No, we do not need to worry about Microsoft damaging the future of Linux.

  4. Re:Embracing a Cancer? by halivar · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Steve Ballmer said that in 2001. He's no longer with the company, and MS has no obligation to adhere to his philosophy with respect to FOSS.