The Linux Voice view on what's going on in the world of Free Software.
News Analysis
Hey, everybody, they are still Microsoft.
Opinion
Has Microsoft Surrendered to Open Source?
One of the big stories of 2016 has been Microsoft's continuing charm offensive to persuade the open source free software communities they are now "us" rather than "them." They've changed: joined Eclipse, publicized their contributions to large numbers of projects, and even joined The Linux Foundation at the highest (Platinum) level.
In response, almost every commentator has been lauding Microsoft's progress and dismissing residual criticisms – almost certainly the response Microsoft seeks. One veteran commentator even declared "open source has won and Microsoft has surrendered" [1].
To believe that Microsoft has "surrendered" is not right. They are still a company embracing the theory of maximizing shareholder value regardless of morality. They continue to do so without regard for the social norms of the communities they find in their chosen markets. That's demonstrated in part by their continuing monetization of their software patent portfolio at the expense of the other members of the Linux Foundation, which they have recently joined.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Gamers May Soon See Less Mouse Lag in KDE Plasma
Gamers using KDE’s Plasma desktop have been suffering from a slight input delay in mouse movement that could lead to getting fragged.
-
Three Lines of Code Improve Linux Storage Performance
A developer changed three lines of code, giving Linux storage performance a 5% bump.
-
AUR Hit Again with Malicious Packages
Once again the Arch User Repository is plagued by a high volume of malicious packages.
-
Alpine Linux 3.24 Features Fresh Desktops and a Newer Kernel
If you're a fan of Alpine Linux, it's time to upgrade because the latest version has been released with KDE Plasma 6.6, Gnome 50, and Linux kernel 6.18 LTS.
-
EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
Comprehensive measures adopted by the European Commission aim to reduce dependency on non-EU countries.
-
Linux Foundation Report Indicates AI Driving Tech Hiring
Within growing security and skills gaps, AI has been found to be a positive driving force behind tech hiring trends in Europe.
-
United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
A new open source portal seeks to coordinate and scale open source efforts across the United Nations system.
-
KDE Linux Drops AUR
KDE Linux developers have dropped the Arch User Repository from the build pipeline due to security concerns; other distributions should consider doing the same.
-
California May Exempt Linux from Its Age-Verification Law
After backlash from the Linux community, California may be backing off on its promise to force all operating systems to verify age, but one platform may still have to comply.
-
Another Logic Bug Found in Linux Kernel
Qualys has discovered a vulnerability in the Linux kernel that can be used to elevate standard user privileges.