Microsoft Keynoting LinuxCon, Continues Talking Up Linux/OSS

[Mike Frett]

The more i hear this stuff the more i want to switch to BSD.

Then you're sort-of dealing with Apple, right? =p

[Passso]

Fixed.

No offence bro, but this was just asking for it.

Kinda true
By the way they really did it soooo complicated and long to type for nothing.
See "Reset-ComputerMachinePassword" vs "passwd"...

[Indomitable]

Of course they love Linux. Microsoft makes a lot of money from Linux. Every third VM on Azure is running Linux. All these Linux users need instruments to manage the VMs, so they added Bash in Windows and Powershell for Linux. Most of Azure VMs are hosting web applications, but why users should use PHP when can run Asp.NET, so .net was opensourced and can run under Linux.
Microsoft doesn't care about Linux desktop with 3% market share it is not a scary thing.

[Amarildo]

I wonder what the implications of a "Microsoft distro" would have on top of Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, etc, if they can actually build a distro that "just works" for most people.

[devius]

Apple moved to a BSDish kernel years ago and they can sell MacOS for $20 for your mackintosh now.

Mac OS is free (provided you have an eligible Apple computer to install it on).

[arbition]

Yep, it's normal and perfectly reasonable. MS has a long history of using EEE tactics to kill competition. There is absolutely no reason to think any different about this circumstance.

I was going to say exactly this. The moment we see MS getting to the second E, people need to GTFO. It is just a new cycle now that MS is seeing their dominance slipping.

[Passso]

Mac OS is free (provided you have an eligible Apple computer to install it on).

For a free thing, that is expensive.

[Inopia]

Port it? No way man, they still have complete control and can kill it anytime. Why not Open Source it with a FOSS License? Better yet, just use Vulkan and urge developers to move away from DirectX.

DirectX is actually valuable asset for Microsoft as it is making it harder for gamers to switch platforms and helps MS push XBone to developers. Open sourcing .net core, PowerShell and VisualStudio Code are just an attempt to keep them from getting obsolete in face of competition and Bash on Linux is an attempt to keep developers from switching platforms due to poor support of developer tools. DirectX will be opened only if Vulcan/OpenGL gets significant portion of the game market and Microsoft sees developers ditching DX enmasse.

IMHO DirectX for Mac/iOS would make more sense for protecting their turf.

[Passso]

Ok Microsoft are you listening? For me to openly welcome you on Linux you'll have to port Direct X to Linux. If you do that I'll accept you into my sacred Linux Club of 12+ PCs & users.

Answer from Microsoft :
"Great news, now add 7 zeros after 12 and deal."

[duby229]

Well, I can't seem to find it at the moment, but years ago MS lost a lawsuit about directx. Basically the result is that independent 3rd party implementations cannot be considered patent infringement. Anybody can re-implement d3d as long as they document the entire development process using clean room methodology.