VMware Affirms Open Source Commitment By Becoming Gold Linux Foundation Member

Reader BrianFagioli writes: Today, VMware showed its commitment to the open source community by becoming a Linux Foundation Gold Member. The company joins many other successful companies at that level, such as Facebook, Toshiba, and Toyota, to name a few. "VMware has been involved in open source for years, by contributing to existing open source projects as well as open sourcing some of the company's own code. This includes significant participation in and contributions to Linux Foundation projects such as Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP), Cloud Foundry and Open vSwitch, as well as other open source projects including OpenStack. Becoming a Gold member of The Linux Foundation will enable VMware to become even more active in the open source community by leveraging The Linux Foundation's experience and expertise in how to most effectively contribute to and utilize open source technology," says The Linux Foundation.

What a commitment...

[Anonymous Coward]

How about "VMware Affirms Open Source Commitment By Releasing Source For All Products". That would be a commitment.

Re:

[rakslice]

This. For anyone who missed the story so far, VMware is a bit busy dealing with their commitment to open source at the moment (https://sfconservancy.org/copyleft-compliance/vmware-lawsuit-faq.html). This news could also tell us something about the Linux Foundation's commitment to open source and/or unwillingness to let a fundraising opportunity like this pass by?

Re:

[rakslice]

Related:
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/08/15/vmware_survives_gpl_breach_case_but_plaintiff_promises_appeal/ [theregister.co.uk]

Re:

[rakslice]

Perhaps there are gems of unsung first-party contributions hiding in their huge number of public repositories? https://github.com/vmware [github.com]

Re:

[sithlord2]

Not all products (be realistic here, VMWare can't survive without money), but it's a start: https://vmware.github.io/ [github.io]

Re:

[jaymemaurice]

VMware - not VMWare

Yeah they have a lot of neat stuff there like their outdated modified weasel code and other useless python junk to control their own stuff...

Re:

[arth1]

Pretty much.

Note that the Linux Foundation has no real clout. It's a corporation that exists mostly outside the Linux community, and serves its own interests.
Look at their who's who, and tell me how many of these are well known and/or highly respected Linux personalities:
https://www.linuxfoundation.or... [linuxfoundation.org]

Some of them I suspect don't even use Linux...

Re:

[arth1]

They employ Linus Torvalds. Linus is busy with his own stuff - Linux. He doesn't in any way run or direct the Linux Foundation.
Corporations and business people do.

Up until last year, individuals were also involved in electing board members and holding elected positions. Now, they've kicked individuals out and it's all companies, and influence based on how much money the companies contribute. Of which only a small part goes back to support projects.

As so many other things, it started out with noble inten

More hooks

[Anonymous Coward]

So, the kernel is going to gain more hooks for VMware proprietary stuff which is useless for everyone else. Yay, and stuff. Much excitement.

Re:

[Bruce Perens]

It means they violated the GPL and the case first brought against them did not succeed due to an issue not connected to the merit of the case.

hey I know

[Anonymous Coward]

How about you just comply with the GPL instead of trying to buy of the Linux Foundation?

You've got to be kidding

[RonVNX]

If joining the Linux Foundation is what passes for making a commitment to FLOSS, then it's all over for FLOSS.

Re:

[_merlin]

Have you actually used the built-in ESXi web client lately? It's pretty good these days.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

VMWare is a GPL Violator

[Bruce Perens]

VMWare is a GPL violator and got off of its most recent case on a technicality. Any Linux developer can restart the case.

The Linux foundation is sort of like loggers who claim to speak for the trees. Their main task is to facilitate the exploitation of Open Source rather than contribution to it.

Re:

[tpgp]

The Linux foundation is sort of like loggers who claim to speak for the trees.

Wow, I'm really disappointed to hear that, I've read a bit about vmware's GPL violation in the press & the Linux Foundation's silence (or perhaps active suppression) of legal action funded by SFC against vmware.

You got a good summary I can read? I thought the Linux Foundation's role in this was more complex than it appears, but you've just painted with a very negative brush.

Re: VMWare is a GPL Violator

[Bruce Perens]

Look for news from when they eliminated the community board position, when they stopped funding SFLC, when they accepted Microsoft as a member.

VMWare Nightmare

[DaMattster]

Back when I was in IT, I breathed a sigh of relief when the head shed decided to go with Citrix Xen. I really hate VMWare.

Re:

[Billly Gates]

Cries that's that leaving Microsoft ... And going to Oracle?!!

Whom am I kidding at least Oracle s shitty expensive products are stable. Sadly Hyper-V seems to be my favorite so far between all of them sadly

Re:

[Coren22]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-u... [microsoft.com]

Hyper-v server is also free to use.

Doesn't matter. VMWare is Netware.

[Salo2112]

Everyone it dumping it for Hyper-V anyway. Won't be around in a few years, so I'm not sure what the point of this is. Maybe it will become FOSS software when the product succumbs to the inevitability of Microsoft's dominance.