On Jun 11, 1:45 am, John Locke <johnlocke98...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:06:05 +0100, Roy Schestowitz
>
> <newsgro...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >Has Microsoft Gone Linux-Crazy?
>
> >| Before anybody says "Maybe Microsoft wants to go into the Unix
> >| business themselves." - remember, they already tried that. Xenix was
> >| the Microsoft Unix, leveraged through them to eventually become SCO
> >| Unix. And we all know how that turned out, don't we?
>
> Its in the wind. They're getting smarter. They've fianlly figured out
> that you don't need 75,000 people, a bunch of over paid execs, 500
> lawyers and six years to produce an operating system. Here comes
> MicroLux ! The latest and greatest distro from your favorite software
> company.
Not so far off. Microsoft has done some deep dives into the Linux
source code, and despite attempts to heavily promote it's proprietary
technology, has had to admit that Linux does offer some advantages,
especially in terms of performance and reliability. They have a
project called synergy which is an attempt to implement a Linux-like
kernel in C# using a "clean-room" reverse engineering environment
(possibly one of the reasons Microsoft is going to Linux distributors
in an attempt to prevent getting sued for patent violations, or having
their synergy patents nullified). Still, the last video presentation
I saw on Synergy said that we probably wouldn't see a production OS
with this technology until about 2016. There might be a STABLE
version by 2020.
On the other hand, if Linux does take hold in the OEM distribution
channel, Microsoft already has a foot in the door - in the form of
WINE.
Remember, WINE only implements the OS level API functions of Windows.
It does not implement the Microsoft DLLs, including several of the
DLLs included in Windows XP. To use these DLLs users must have a
machine that is properly licensed for Windows XP.
In Microsoft's "All or Nothing" gamble, they expressly forbid the use
of Vista DLLs with Linux - in ANY version of Vista. This may be one
reason why so many PC buyers, especially corporate PC buyers have said
"Hasta La Vista VISTA forever". These companies aren't even saying
"maybe when SP1 comes out. In fact, some companies just declared that
they would not want vista as soon as Microsoft announced it's EULA
agreements.
This has left Microsoft with a problem. If OEMs continue to
expirience Vista hostility, customers say XP and NOT VISTA, they are
more likely to insist on a "Microsoft Linux" solution. The OEMs will
set up with their favorite distributor, then purchase a version of
Windows which is licensed to, and designed to, run efficiently under
WINE, Xen, or VMWare.
Many ISVs have already backpedaled on Vista, and have now begun
testing their applications with Crossover to assure that their
applications will run under Crossover as well as Windows.
Even if the OEM continues to offer Windows as the primary operating
system, it has become more and more evident that the real profits and
demand are in systems that can run Linux as the primary operating
system and can run a version of Windows as a "Virtual Client".
The irony is that even Windows NT 4.0 works nicely as a virtual client
for many office users. Since Linux handles USB, WiFi, and security,
Windows NT 4.0 is enough for many users.
Microsoft has overplayed their hand, tried to bluff their way out of
it, and now, with lots of chips on the table, their hand has been
called. Microsoft isn't out of the game completely, but their role as
the sole dominant player in the OEM OS market has all but
disintigrated.
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