Microsoft Corp. surprised the tech world Thursday, unveiling a plan to make Windows compatible with a version of the Linux operating system, a major rival of the technology giant’s software.
Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer said the Redmond, Wash., company has signed a deal with Novell Inc. in which the two companies will help market both Windows and Suse Linux, a popular version of the open-source operating system backed by Novell.
The deal represents a bold shift in strategy for Microsoft, which became a tech behemoth by selling shrink-wrapped, proprietary software, but which is now struggling to compete with rivals offering free software and charging only for technical support.
The plan also highlights the rapid growth of Linux, which is available free, and is constantly being improved and modified by software developers in what is commonly referred to as an open-source system.
Microsoft’s move comes a week after Redwood City’s Oracle Corp. unveiled its plan to sell support services to Linux users, a move aimed at winning customers from Red Hat, which offers such services to companies using Linux.
The two companies denied that the deal was signed in reaction to the Oracle plan.
Lots of dancing around the Maypole — and maybe dancing around the truth. Surely, there will be more sage commentary as this tale unfolds. Interesting stuff.
Great, just one thing though, how can an OS be compatible with an OS? does the OS run inside the OS? Is this virtualization technology? Or do they mean that Windows apps will become compatible to Suse apps? and how do they do this? Will they develop Wine for running Linux apps on Windows? Line?!?
well maybe I should read the article…
anyway, where are the Vista distros…
And BTW: SuSe????????
I don’t think this is all roses. Microsoft is creating an endorsed version of Linux, Novell by the way is actually paying them money, to create a precedent that will allow them to go after the other distros.
So what happens to Vista? Do we have to wait some more while MS makes it Linux compatible? Or should we forget about Vista and wait for MS Linux?
This is most likely just an “enemy of my enemy” thing for Microsoft.
The deal represents a bold shift in strategy for Microsoft
I think the author misspelled “bonehead”.
I think I wondered somewhere in Dvorak Uncensored over the summer why Microsoft didn’t use Linux as a kernel with the windows interface on top. Isn’t that what Apple are doing with a flavor of Unix?
I might even be prepared to pay something for a really simple interface to Linux but only so the rest of my family could use it.
Think of the benefits, MS stop bothering about the interfaces with hardware. Glitches can be blamed on the open source movement. Testing the interface becomes much much simpler
#1. When they say compatible they mean compatible in a networked environment. It is currently hard to get Linux desktops to fit within an Active Directory Domain. Novell has had people working on this for quite some time. I have had limited success joining my SuSe box to my work’s Active Directory Domain. I have gotten it to join, but for whatever reason the connection breaks after a while. To me this is a great move for Linux.
Great – one giant proprietary software company is going to work with another giant proprietary software company to make their products “compatible”.
Why doesn’t Microsoft just write some code and release it to the Linux community? Why do they have to “partner” with Novell?
No doubt, they will find some way to make their code only work with the Novell distribution and claim that limiting choice is good for customers:
“Gary Beach, publisher of CIO magazine said the move will be welcomed by chief information officers, who have long been concerned about the fragmentation of the open-source software market.”
Hey Gary, “fragmentation” is a feature of the Linux world we like. It’s called choice and it keeps us from getting locked in to license AND subscription fees.
I hate being wrong, but I sure hope I am. After reading a few write ups on this, I have yet to read anything suggesting great things. It would appear the winner will be MicroSoft. To meet the loser, just look in a mirror.
This agreement will give Novell salespeople a whole lot of extra clout. Now all they need say is “MS won’t sue you for any patent infringement if you buy from us, but if you buy from the other guy,…”. This didn’t come free though, MS will gain a large measure of control over Novell, be it implicit or explicit.
Once MS starts controlling Linux distribution, then start looking for more patent infringement cases, similar to SCO / IBM. How many Linux distributors can afford that battle?
What is so amazing about this?
It is not the first time M$ has invested in a Linux distro.
Doesn’t anyone remember that M$ bailed out Corel Linux in 2000 and planned to use that company to port .NET technology to Linux?
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/19509/19509.html
THIS is how MS is showing that they have competition,
THIS way they CANT be sued.
Microsoft should put out an open source version of XP with the stipulation that somebody should get it to work as well as SUSE. .
I’m sure a real Microsoft LINUX would be great. Maybe it’s already a linux clone? Has anyone checked?
Quick quote more misleading stats about Linux and how its penetrating the light of day!
“LINUX USAGE IS UP 3000%!”
Yes cause 3000 * .0001 = .3 WOOHA VIVA LA REVOLUCION!
I can’t wait to get John’s take on this. Excellent column fodder.
In a way Windows is a unique OS. It is the only mainstream OS that is not a Unix deviant or clone.
I may do this for the Monday PC Mag online column. But here are a couple of thoughts. SInce it so closely followed the Oracle announcement and these companies are at loggerheads it may be a Fork You Larry move. And it could also be an introduction to Microsoft Linux — perhaps something called Lindows.
Lots of possibilities.
and how long did it take Apple to turn around after MS invested in it?
Surely, you don’t believe that, ChrisMac. Microsoft’s investment in Apple was too small to have an effect on the bottom line.
It is rumored that this deal is really the working out of conflicts involving some patents Novell has that Microsoft may have encroached on. Perhaps John has some insight.
Isn’t there all ready a Lindows platform? I think it might had been Linspire but I could be wrong?
i believe the timeline might corrolate.. but no.. i don’t belive that..
as for JCD’s insight.. i’d never question it.. except here on da blog