[Sussex] Steve Ballmer using Linux in public

[Rupert Swarbrick]

Paul Tansom wrote:
> 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 :)
> 
Interesting question.

That said, many of my friends say "Would be interested in Linux, but
games don't run on it" (*don't* flame me about ports of them - I know,
but not that many games are ported at the moment)

Were Microsoft to produce a Linux distro, presumably more commercial
games would be released on linux, which wouldn't depend so much on the
Windows API, would probably use openGL not D3D etc.

Would probably work on other distros, nullifying this problem.

Of course, I have my mind set on higher things than computer games... :)

Rupert
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