[Sussex] Steve Ballmer using Linux in public

[Angelo Servini]

> 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?
> 

Not interested.  Definitely not.  I am going to purchase crossover office, and if that does the trick.  M$ is going.

> 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).
> 

I agree with what others have said.  If microsoft get involved, its still not "free" as described by the GPL and the Free Software Foundation.  Anything owned by a big corporation is still owned by them, and we dont get a look in.  we cant see the code, we cant change it.  Our freedom of innovation ends here.

No.  I prefer my distro to be "owned" by the community. Just as it is now.

<humour>
The trouble with a lot of self-made men is that they worship their creator.
</humour>

--
Angelo Servini
Programmer/Analyst
Claybrook Computing Ltd
Sutherland House
Russell Way
Crawley
West Sussex.  RH10 1UH
* 01293 604955
* 01293 604099 (Fax)
* angelo.servini at claybrook.co.uk




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