[oldskool]

Here is a link to an article at ZDNet about Microsoft releasing 20,000 lines of code for Linux drivers support. It sounds like Microsoft wants to work with Linux on better hardware support.

DISCLAIMER: This is NOT intended to be a Windows -vs- Linux flame thread, so please, lets be cool, ok ? This is an attempt to see what everyone feels about a Windows/Linux collaboration. Can the two entities stay "themselves" yet collaborate "together" ?

I feel that it could be good thing, as long as they don't combine forces completely. And I know the OSes that they command are very different, but just what benefits would there be ? I hope it is a start of a "cease fire" regarding all the lawsuits, liscensing, etc., and that they can coexist a bit better.

What do you think about it ?

[Mak213]

I think that it is still far from being known.

Understanding Microsoft's Linux code shocker | Beyond Binary - CNET News
FSF: Microsoft's Community Promise "Empty"
Microsoft's Empty Promise - Free Software Foundation

Even with the release of such code, the open source community as a whole is still upset at Microsoft. there will never be a way for them to co-exist. The FSF is still up in arms. Even with Microsoft backing down there is no making them happy unless Microsoft pulls out it seems.

[oldskool]

Hmmm, interesting, Mak. It seems too bad in one way, and maybe a good thing in another. I mean, maybe its a better thing that they stay seperate. But my thought was "ow wow, wouldn't that be a good thing for all the people who shy away from Linux because of problems with drivers to then be able to run their favorite games on there fully supported hardware ?" I am not naieve, but I do like to think that maybe things could be better. I guess I'm an optimist, yet a realist, and definitely not a Utopian.

[Mak213]

Yeah but if you read, it is for Linux Drivers, that is supported by Windows. In a Virtual Environment.

Our initial goal in developing the (Linux driver) code was to enable Linux to run as a virtual machine on top of Hyper-V, Microsoft’s hypervisor and implementation of virtualization.

right from the Mary Jo Foley blog. So in reality they didnt do much to help. Since it is just a virtual machine. Basically it is like XP Mode that was introduced.

[oldskool]

Well, yeah, I did read it of course. I just thought it was a start to something bigger in the future.

[Osiris]

Microsoft Contributes Linux Drivers to Linux Community

Today, in a break from the ordinary, Microsoft released 20,000 lines of device driver code to the Linux community. The code, which includes three Linux device drivers, has been submitted to the Linux kernel community for inclusion in the Linux tree. The drivers will be available to the Linux community and customers alike, and will enhance the performance of the Linux operating system when virtualized on Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V or Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V.

[Jayce]

I'd like to see Windows and Linux play nicer together. It seems more often than not Linux has to figure out all of these backdoor ways to work with Windows. Thanks to Samba, networking with Windows is relatively easy, however on my local computer I STILL cannot access my Vista partition from within Ubuntu, despite all of the guides I've read.

It's kind of a unique situation, because anymore there's such a mixture of platforms in a lot of environments that it just makes sense to be compatible with one another, despite being somewhat of a competitor. I mean I could understand an issue with Coke requesting a recipe from Pepsi, but when it comes to technology, the stuff just has to work together.

[oldskool]

Well maybe this could be a harbinger of good things to come ? Although Mak made a very good point about this being relatively insignificant in the big scheme of things, if this could be a dove flying with an olive branch then maybe they can coexist a bit better if both sides are willing. I reiterate: coexist I said, not get married.

[Mak213]

I dont see anything coming of it. While it does try to make some improvements, it is all based on running Windows first, then installing Linux in a virtual environment. At that point what difference does it make cause depending on the Virtual Software used, the drivers might not even work.

These will be for Virtual PC. What if you use VirtualBox or VMWare? No guarantee that these drivers will work. So you are right back to where you started. What if you want to dual boot? No help there.

In a way i do agree with the FSF as it is a empty promise. What did they really offer? Driver support within Windows. Doesnt really help the Linux community.

[Saxon]

VMware makes there own as Virtual box dose.