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Ballmer is still Microsoft's single largest shareholder, and he has seen his personal wealth grow dramatically under Nadella’s tenure. You’re telling me he hate

Ballmer is still Microsoft's single largest shareholder, and he has seen his personal wealth grow dramatically under Nadella’s tenure. You’re telling me he hates Linux so much that he’s willing to tank his own fortune, to the tune of billions of dollars, to stab ineffectually at it? Please. Nobody at Microsoft ever had a committed ideological opposition to Linux, it was a pragmatic decision based on what they perceived as a threat to their business. That certainly doesn’t negate the damage of all the shit they pulled, but it does mean that it is highly unlikely that they’re going to reverse course and start extinguishing Linux for ideological reasons now that they’ve figured out how to make money without Linux being the enemy.

coffekaesque 8y ago
The problem is what they will do when they are at the top (or hitting rock bottom). Or when their stakeholders want to milk the cow. It's similar to how you don't want companies to have your personal data, even if you trust them "100%". When money becomes a problem, or a solution, you'll be their last priority. Some of the news about Windows 10 would be unthinkable a few years ago. Priorities change, and this company in particular has a history of being extremely hostile.
- Analemma_ 8y ago
  You’re making a different argument here then the person I replied to though. solarengineer was implying that WSL is a plot to extinguish Linux, which is ridiculous. But that’s not saying that Microsoft is 100% trustworthy or that they will never do anything bad ever again. I’m only saying that the “sinister plan” for this one particular software component is to make Windows more useful to Unix-land developers, to try and get them to buy Windows PCs instead of the usual MacBook Pro. Notice how that explanation still assumes Microsoft is still doing it for their own financial benefit, but doesn’t require an agenda to destroy Linux. They have realized that this isn’t a zero-sum game.
  - gronne 8y ago
    I am convinced this is a “plot” to kill the linux desktop / keep people on windows. Its better, free and you control it - why would they not want to kill it.
    - jrs95 8y ago
      Because almost nobody uses it so they don't care. The only reason they even made WSL was to compete with Mac, and make devices with odd hardware that didn't easily run desktop Linux (like Surface) more appealing to developers.
      - pizzazzaro 8y ago
        You can totally run Linux on a Surface device! Its drivers are in the 4.16 kernel, maybe earlier.
      - gronne 8y ago
        Linux will run on almost everything these days. Of course they care: Linux desktops are finally starting to run out of the box. Kill the baby before it grows up.

coffekaesque 8y ago

The problem is what they will do when they are at the top (or hitting rock bottom). Or when their stakeholders want to milk the cow. It's similar to how you don't want companies to have your personal data, even if you trust them "100%". When money becomes a problem, or a solution, you'll be their last priority. Some of the news about Windows 10 would be unthinkable a few years ago. Priorities change, and this company in particular has a history of being extremely hostile.

Analemma_ 8y ago
You’re making a different argument here then the person I replied to though. solarengineer was implying that WSL is a plot to extinguish Linux, which is ridiculous. But that’s not saying that Microsoft is 100% trustworthy or that they will never do anything bad ever again. I’m only saying that the “sinister plan” for this one particular software component is to make Windows more useful to Unix-land developers, to try and get them to buy Windows PCs instead of the usual MacBook Pro. Notice how that explanation still assumes Microsoft is still doing it for their own financial benefit, but doesn’t require an agenda to destroy Linux. They have realized that this isn’t a zero-sum game.
- gronne 8y ago
  I am convinced this is a “plot” to kill the linux desktop / keep people on windows. Its better, free and you control it - why would they not want to kill it.
  - jrs95 8y ago
    Because almost nobody uses it so they don't care. The only reason they even made WSL was to compete with Mac, and make devices with odd hardware that didn't easily run desktop Linux (like Surface) more appealing to developers.
    - pizzazzaro 8y ago
      You can totally run Linux on a Surface device! Its drivers are in the 4.16 kernel, maybe earlier.
    - gronne 8y ago
      Linux will run on almost everything these days. Of course they care: Linux desktops are finally starting to run out of the box. Kill the baby before it grows up.