[Sussex] Steve Ballmer using Linux in public

[Paul Tansom]

On Thu, 2005-04-21 at 22:11 +0100, Jon Fautley wrote:
> 
> Andrew Guard wrote:
> > On display at this year's MMS event was Virtual Server 2005 Service Pack
> > 1, due for release later this year. Virtual Server 2005 Service Pack 1 was
> > demonstrated on stage running with Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced
> > Server 3.
> 
> Nice to see they've seen the light :D

Is it? Where would you stand on the motives/benefits of a Microsoft
produced Linux distribution?

Playing devils advocate for a moment, Microsoft could produce a very
good Linux distribution with some proprietary extras (so long as the
didn't link in and break the GPL) that would work something like
Crossover Office and allow the main Microsoft applications (and key
others) to run. People interested in Linux would then see 'the best of
both worlds' in that distro (new adopters and possibly a few others,
mainly businesses perhaps?).

OK, we have a scenario, let's play a bit. Software manufacturers may see
the Microsoft distro as a key player, support for Linux and Windows is
simply a case of supporting this version. Anyone using the MS distro may
have serious difficulties migrating to another as, much like moving from
Windows, you have to replace some applications (oh dear, probably the
same ones).

So is this a boost to Linux or have MS done an embrace and extend here?
Have they sidetracked possible defectors from Windows to stick with a
Microsoft OS and still be stuck, or have they given them the first step
and made defection more likely?

An interesting dilemma, although I'm not sure as I see it happening, at
least not for a good while yet. That said, Microsoft aren't stupid and
if pushed to a point might just see it as the final 'embrace and extend'
initiative for them, perhaps, maybe???

Btw, hi Jon :)

-- 
Paul Tansom | Aptanet Ltd. | http://www.aptanet.com/