Microsoft Hires Director of Linux Interoperability 238
AlexGr sends us to Todd Bishop's blog in the Seattle PI for news that Microsoft has brought someone aboard to serve as its Director of Linux Interoperability and head up the Microsoft/Novell Interoperability Lab. "...his name will be familiar to people in the open-source community. In an e-mail late Thursday night, a Microsoft representative said the role will be filled by Tom Hanrahan, who was most recently the director of engineering at the Linux Foundation, the group created through the recent combination of the Free Standards Group and the Open Source Development Labs."
no... (Score:3, Funny)
Reminds me of "We're from the government..." (Score:3, Interesting)
Microsoft having someone with the title of "Director of Linux Interoperability" is one of those euphemisms. He's not going to improve interoperability, but he'll be addressing interoperability. Much of the interoperability between Microsoft operating systems and Linux have happened despite Microsoft, not with Microsoft's help. Th
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Pretty much the same with Microsoft.
A fox says, "We want to interoperate with hens." (Score:3, Interesting)
"Microsoft Hires Director of Linux Interoperability"
translates as
"Fox wants to interoperate with henhouse". All in the name of efficiency, of course. For the fox.
In my opinion, there is a lot of misunderstanding about Microsoft. People get confused, and think Microsoft is a software company that is abusive. But maybe a better explanation is that Microsoft is an abuse company that uses software as its vehicle to deliver abuse.
REAL managers can make a profit without being adversarial.
Foxes have always thought highly of penguins... (Score:3, Interesting)
Foxes want to interoperate with penguins. Only to help the world, of course. And because foxes think penguins are cute. (Copyright Fox P.R. agency 2007)
Microsoft Director of Linux Interoperability(TM) (Score:4, Funny)
Finally (Score:5, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)
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apt-get install adware
Re:Finally (Score:5, Insightful)
For example: better NFS client / serving from Windows server, Office being able to read (not write) ODF, running Linux applications on Windows, stuff like that. Things that help people migrate OFF Linux. There may be a side effect that some things in Linux will work better with MS, but that is a side effect and not intended behavior.
If MS was serious about working with Linux in a positive way, they would be releasing proper documentation on their file formats and network protocols with no strings attached (such as massive license fees.) Unless forced to do so (by the EU) this will NEVER happen.
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Seriously, what this means is that MS will become more compatible with Linux, not making Linux more compatible with MS products from an interoperability standpoint.
Why change MS software to increase compatibility with Linux when they can just change Linux? Watch for a corresponding increase in commits from "new" sources.
This will be just like Microsoft's extinguishing of Novell in the 1990's, except this time Microsoft can change their competitor's code directly.
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It's a subtle trap. Really. (Score:3, Insightful)
The idea is a simple one. You want to lock people into your own platform while providing a migration path away from the other platforms. In short you want your customers to see all other platforms as legacy systems.
This is the entire process behind SUA, Identity Services for UNIX, and the like.
It is also the idea behind Samba, WINE, Mono, etc.
Thus, from a Linux perspective, while it would make my life easier to have more UNIX/Linux interop from Microsoft, what w
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Maybe it means that Windows will get EXT2/EXT3 file system support in order to read Linux partitions.
That support is already there [fs-driver.org]. Though it would be better if it was in Windows by default.
Maybe it means that Linux will get a Microsoft approved NTFS file system support for Linux so it can finally write to NTFS partitions.
That also is possible [ntfs-3g.org], and it works quite well.
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GP is talking about open standards, not giving away free code without copy restrictions.
If you were to phrase it properly, it still shows disfavor toward Microsoft:
If Linus was serious about working with MS in a positive way, he would release proper documentation on the file formats and protocols with no strings attached.
Which is pre
That's what the patent deals are for... (Score:4, Interesting)
With Linux, this is harder. They can't use a price advantage to 'choke off the air supply'. Or can they? To me, that's what the Novell patent deal is all about (from MS's point of view, at least). To un-freeify Linux. Microsoft is confident that they can compete on a level playing field. After all, they have a huge starting advantage, plus they still have the ability to tie their server products to their desktop products. But they can no longer undercut on price. That is, unless they convince the marketplace that free Linux is illegal, and the only way to get Linux is to pay Novell's price. Then they can once again price Novell out of the market.
At least one of the Linux-esque ways of doing business is running servers for free, or at least without per-seat licensing. If that goes away, at least a large part of those Linux fans will lose some of their attachment.
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Re:Finally (Score:5, Funny)
HELL, Earth. June 8th, 2007. (NASDAQ: HELQ) Hell has Frozen Over.
In a shocking event, Hell has taken on an icy interior today. Says one demon, "It's actually quite nice, what with the flying bacon and all." Operators of the Infernal Furnace spoke to us briefly: "All the sudden our computers froze", "We were installing a Microsoft Service Pack and all the sudden a penguin came on the screen and the whole environment changed." Hell has scheduled a press conference to happen later this week where we will receive an update on this situation.
Representatives at Microsoft were not available for comment.
Contacts:
Lucifer,
666-666-1234
lucifer@inhell.com
Steve Ballmer,
666-666-1233
therealdevil@inhell.com
It's already begun!!! (Score:3, Informative)
Errr..
Windows Vista [gadgetell.com]
Windows Vista Home Basic (and Home Basic N) - A simple version of Windows Vista that is aimed at single PC homes.
Windows Vista Home Premium - Whole home entertainment and personal productivity throughout the home and on the go.
Windows Vista Business (and Business N) - Previously Windows Vista Professional Edition, Windows Vista Business is roughly analogous to XP Pro today.
Windows Vista Enterprise - Optimiz
Wow... (Score:3, Funny)
Razzing doesn't break bones (Score:5, Funny)
Are you sure you don't mean... (Score:2, Funny)
Are you sure you don't mean... SATAN!???
mods? (Score:2, Funny)
I realize this was meant as "funny", but ... resist ... modding ... "flamebait" ...
Must
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I recall Netware and NT interoperability... (Score:5, Interesting)
Great! (Score:2, Insightful)
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hehe (Score:3, Funny)
Evil is insidious.
Re:hehe (Score:4, Insightful)
No need to assume he'll become evil.
Not yet, anyway.
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Dan, we're talking about Microsoft. "Anything is possible", but if history can predict future trends, Hanrahan will tow the company line.
Depends on what he feels is useful. A fat Microsoft paycheck will certainly be very useful to him. Perhaps he thinks it's time for him to feather the nest and live the easy life?
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Itsatrap (Score:2, Funny)
re (Score:5, Funny)
Tom: Really?
Bill: No, but I hve tons of money for you!
Tom: Dark side it is!
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So, they take RandomDeveloper in for a few years, due to his excellent work on FooProject, and pay him lots of money. A few years later, he gets tired of riding on his laurels and bails from the company. He's richer. Someone else has taken his place has taken his place as Head of Foo, or the project has branched off into FooBar. The source is still there, having been improved upon in the interim. He might have improved his skills and actually have more to offer, and
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Still, outside of that you're correct. The star system tends to highlight one particular individual out of a large number of nearly equal merit. If the star leaves, an understudy is likely t
Typo. (Score:5, Funny)
ODF (Score:4, Insightful)
Or, hell, send some developers over to the Wine project.
Since none of this is happening, I can only assume that this "Linux interoperability" guy is either a complete hypocrite, or is going to have no real power within the company.
Re:ODF (Score:5, Insightful)
Why? because linux has a significant server marketshare, and they are FORCED to interoperate with it or face losing marketshare themselves.
Linux however has very little desktop market share, so it's more profitable for microsoft to ignore it and thus make it harder for people to migrate to linux.
Ever noticed how a lot of the interoperability between windows and other os's centers around those os's implementing proprietary protocols from windows, rather than windows implementing standards from other os's. There have been a few other cases where microsoft have been forced to implement standards to interoperate (tcp/ip, image formats etc) but they have always preferred to force their own proprietary implementations on people if they will stick (netbeui, bmp etc).
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Re:ODF (Score:4, Funny)
What an easy job (Score:2)
Connections (Score:5, Insightful)
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Re:Connections (Score:4, Interesting)
fixed.
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Chill the still (Score:3, Funny)
Just another step in validating their IP... (Score:3, Interesting)
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Linux for years now has become a server competitor , unix was the main server os for awhile , and small servers are dominated by windows. Maybe they finally got the hint that their os is insecure by nature.
I would love to see a windows rewrite from the ground up. Completely based on security and some of the fundamentals that make windows so easy to use. It is possible
And Who Did They Hire?? (Score:5, Funny)
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that was funny.
where are my mod points when i need them.
*looks around for missing points*
how's it been going with Sun (Score:5, Interesting)
BTW, Microsoft does not want to interoperate with Linux and OSS. They want it gone, so any "talk" about deals and smoke-mirror agreements will only flounder, stall, and drag on forever. Anybody who believe otherwise is just fooling themselves.
LoB
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I wouldn't be so sure. Look at history... look at what's going on now... and then see who believes in zero-sum gamesmanship. I'm not sure what you consider an average Slashdotter but it seems to me that when Microsoft is accused of being "evil" it is about their strategy of forcing a zero-sum game - of engineered incompatibilities and product lock-in (with the exception of their recent legal
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There is just so much history of this that anybody who would even consider a partnership with Microsoft must be playing out their exit strategies for their busines
Worst story ever? (Score:3, Funny)
* Ballmer throwing chairs
* Embrace, extend, extinguish
* Clippy hate
* Funny BSOD jokes
In the meantime, I'm curious who took the job, because people will hate them for no reason now. Ah zealotry, without thee, what would I do on this site?
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We needn't work at Microsoft, just look at history:
The list goes on. SCO? EU? IE and Media player bundling? As there is no evidence of change in attitude, it doesn't take much to be skeptical.
Disappointed (Score:2)
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mordac_icon.gi
Forgive my ignorance but... (Score:3, Interesting)
allow me to enlighten you .. (Score:2)
It'll be good for MS and bad for the Linux Foundation. It's like when the Nuclear industry used to hire on as consultants top people in the anti-nuclear lobby. The opposition is diluted and you get a potential vocal critic silenced.
Re:Forgive my ignorance but...
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Smoke and mirrors (Score:3, Insightful)
Anything else is just smoke and mirrors.
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If Microsoft releases the information, it would require incorporation into MANY operating systems (Linux, Solaris, HP/UX, AIX, and more).
These operating systems *interoperate* with a number of standards.
What would be MUCH MORE useful would be if Microsoft actually implemented those standards. As a start:
- use NIS (NIS+) for signon, hosts, services, etc.
- support NFS
- support SUN automounts
- support LPD (CUPS)
This would allow Microsoft based workstations to "just work" when put into netw
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Not even unix admins want NIS or even worse NIS+ aka: The Phantom Menace of network login infrastructure. MS not including this is a good thing! Hell even Sun provides migration tools off of NIS.
If anyone is wondering why NIS sucks, be happy and move on. Don't worry about it. Keep your sanity.
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And, if needed for automount, it *should* be supported for login.
Now, other options may be supported as well for login, but NIS should be there.
Why does NIS suck? It is simply a service that provides key/value lists from replicated servers. And, in Linux, the options for nsswitch naming services are: NIS, NIS+, or HESIOD.
Pesky tags... (Score:5, Insightful)
itsatrap would be completely apropos here.
Just sayin'... the tagging system currently may as well be a checkbox list of categories. Not exactly user generated.
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Tags as of now: linux, microsoft
Keywords in the article headline: linux, microsoft, interoperability
Not they've been effectively neutered, the tags not only fail to give any contextual/interprative information (such as itsatrap) but actually provide less factual information than the headline. If the current system is going to stay, it should be renamed "categories" rather than tags. Oh wait, doesn't
Yeah, yeah, -1
The MS strategy seems clearer now (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm pretty sure this is one of their main goals; don't know if it's the first or a secondary one though.
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"Windows Ain't Done Till Lotus Won't Run" (Score:2)
Quick Question (Score:3, Insightful)
Sera
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Obligatory (?) Denis Leary quote (Score:2)
"Hanrahan! What are you doing?"
"Nothin!"
"Well, keep it up, you're doing a great job."
Microsoft Hires Dir. of Linux Interoperability (Score:2)
* War is Peace
* Freedom is Slavery
* Ignorance is Strength
Tom Hanrahan, huh? (Score:2)
They could have a Linux variant tomorrow (Score:2)
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ReactOS isn't a Linux variant by any means. It's an attempt to reimplement Windows completely from the ground up, without using any Linux components.
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Xenix [wikipedia.org]
It's all about MS-Office profits (Score:5, Insightful)
I'd say much sooner than that. These days Microsoft's cash cow is Office, not Windows. As GWB is having some trouble in maintaining his Google bomb [google.com], Microsoft will soon realize that MS-Office in Linux is a better business model for them than OpenOffice in Linux.
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They can't control Linux and Microsoft sells its ecosystem as a platform. Meaning businesses chose MS because it works well with other ms products. I remember back in the 90's when converting javascript to vbscript was all the rage because it works soooo well with IIS and NT server and everything is integrated together in a nice MS utopia which will save the company millions of dollars.
Linux would change all that and we control linux, not microsoft. Microsoft sets the standards and decides what everyone
Re:Once again (Score:5, Insightful)
If we lived in that universe where "Director of Linux Interoperability" actually meant what you think it means. Unfortunately, out in the REAL WORLD, that title actually means "Director of increasing the perception of interoperability with Linux system while actually making them less compatible."
So yeah, keep living in your dream world.
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Re:Once again (Score:5, Informative)
Mod parent down (Score:2)
Mod parent sideways (Score:2)
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Not having cash put into it has NEVER been an aim of Linux, or of open source in general.
In the case of Google, Sun and IBM their interests are aligned with improving Linux. On the other hand MS can only lose if Linux improves (and increased interoperability with the dominant OS would be an improvement), so it is reasonable to expect that they are somehow trying to damage Linux - it makes no sense for them to do
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OMG MS copies Apple again
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Well then, maybe the competition should start competing, don't 'cha think? Considering the "competition" can't even give their products away for free, I gotta think that the problem is with the competition, itself, not MS.