Donate 500,000 to the Linux Foundation in 2021, which is really very small. Bill Gates is worth hundreds of billions, and a single fluctuation in the stock market can cost tens of billions. Maybe this one is sending them a cup of coffee.
Compared with treating it as an enemy and spending tens of billions to suppress them, this is already a very good signal.
Around October 2023, another US$1 billion investment is planned.
Because most of the mainstream Internet service tools are based on open source systems such as Linux, and Microsoft obviously lags behind its competitors in cloud computing, it is not difficult to understand Microsoft's actions in order to grab more customers.
After joining the Linux Foundation, Microsoft can participate more deeply in the evolution of the Linux system, so that the most mainstream system on the Internet can better run on its own cloud service platform, and it can better sell cloud services. Obviously In line with Microsoft's interests.
Microsoft is already preparing to launch a Linux version of SQL Server. This database system, which originally only ran on Microsoft's own system, has also embraced open source.
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With the rapid development and popularity of open source technology, Microsoft has gradually begun to turn to the open source field in the past few years. Recently, a major move by Microsoft was the announcement of a five-year investment plan totaling US$1 billion to support developers in using Linux-based operating systems. Specifically, Microsoft plans to invest in CentOS, Debian, Fedora, Kali Linux, openSUSE, SLES, Ubuntu and other Linux distributions.
After the news was announced, the community version of Linux became the focus of discussion. Indeed, this investment plan is undoubtedly a huge move for the open source field. So, in this context, how does Community Edition Linux benefit? And if a company that has historically opposed open source becomes an investor, will it have a big impact on the market? Well, this question will be explored in detail next.
Beneficiaries in the open source field
Let’s see how the open source community benefits. This investment will obviously help the Linux community's software package maintenance, ecosystem building and innovative research and development. Microsoft's investment will make these communities more stable and durable because they no longer rely on the support of a single contributor or company.
In the process of developing open source technology, the team involves many aspects, including not only the technical level, but also community operations and marketing. Therefore, Microsoft's participation will also inject new impetus into this ecosystem, allowing the open source technology ecosystem including Linux to further develop.
Additionally, the investment has the potential to help create a more unified open source ecosystem. In the past, there were many branches and heterogeneity in the open source ecosystem, which limited its development to some extent. However, if it is accepted and supported by Microsoft, it is expected to achieve the development of a more unified platform in the future.
The maintenance and upgrade of community version Linux is also a big beneficiary. Traditionally, community version Linux has always been maintained free of charge by community volunteers. Microsoft's investment is expected to support these community volunteers and provide them with a large amount of resources, equipment and financial support. This helps the long-term development of Community Edition Linux and better meets user needs.
Why Microsoft should invest in Linux
So, why would Microsoft invest in Linux? What does this historical move by Microsoft to invest in open source technology mean? In fact, this move by Microsoft has fully reflected that Microsoft now understands the importance of open source technology and lists it as one of its important strategic deployments.
From a business perspective, a large number of today's business processes are based on open source technology, and require in-depth interaction and integration with open source technology at multiple levels. In addition, open source technology runs through every corner of IT systems, from development and testing platforms to runtime environments. It is precisely in consideration of these business needs that Microsoft has to change its always hostile attitude towards open source, and at the same time strengthen mutual cooperation with the Linux community to meet the needs of its customers in IT infrastructure.
From a technical perspective, Microsoft's investment in Linux is inevitable. In today's era of technological change, the explosive development of technology and the increasing popularity of Linux have also forced the traditional Microsoft Windows to undergo inevitable changes. These reasons lead people to believe in Microsoft's need for further development in technology, leading it to actively promote and invest in intellectual property and other cutting-edge technologies.
What's more, this level of investment is not a secondary concern. It's because the wave of open source technology has arrived, and Microsoft's "campaign again" has arrived. If Microsoft wants to continue to meet user needs under the new technology policy, these technologies will have to be more widely used and upgraded in Microsoft products.
Let's better predict this change: We will see more open source technologies being used in Microsoft products, which will give Microsoft a richer product line and will also bring a more diversified and open technology portfolio.
The future of open source technology
Whether it is Microsoft's transformation or its outlook for the future development of open source technology, it indicates that open source technology will be more powerful and stable in the future. Today, open source technology has been widely used and continues to promote the popularity and development of the digital industry. By investing in open source technology, Microsoft has also proved that in this wave of disruptive technological revolution, open source technology has become an inevitable trend for Microsoft's future development.
Even in the future, Microsoft will still be its old dimension, but through the support and investment of open source technology, Microsoft is bound to promote the rapid development of its business again and provide customers with a more open and diversified product portfolio.
Whether it is Community Edition Linux or Microsoft's transformation, it is proof that open source technology continues to recommend its own value and shocking power in the market. The vigorous development of open source technology will usher in a more open and diversified development path, and such development is likely to bring better user experience and new business opportunities
Linux joins Microsoft, unprecedented! Microsoft announces joining the Linux Foundation: becoming a platinum member reprinted
2021-05-25 11:47:54
At the annual Connect(); developer conference in New York on Wednesday, Microsoft announced that it would join the Linux Foundation and pay an annual fee of $500,000 to become the foundation's most advanced platinum member. John Gossman, an architect on Microsoft's Azure team, will become a member of the foundation's board of directors.
The other 10 platinum members of the Linux Foundation are Cisco, Fujitsu, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Huawei, IBM, Intel, NEC, Oracle, Qualcomm and Samsung.
Microsoft said it will engage in deeper cooperation with the open source community. Through this move, Microsoft will further collaborate and innovate with a diverse ecosystem to help more customers benefit.
At the same time, Microsoft also welcomed Google's move to join the independent .NET Foundation and cooperate with Samsung Electronics to help .NET developers develop applications for more than 50 million Samsung device users around the world.
The Linux Foundation is a non-profit technology organization whose goal is to promote the development of open source technology and the popularization of commercial use. Its focus is not just on Linux. The foundation provides tools, training, and events to advance open source projects. Microsoft has already begun contributing to the foundation's projects, such as Node.js, OpenDaylight, Open Container Initiative, R Consortium, and Open API Initiative.
Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation, said in the announcement: "Microsoft's use of and contributions to open source technology are evolving and maturing. Microsoft has become an enthusiastic supporter of Linux and open source technology and many important projects. active member. Becoming a member will be an important step for Microsoft, as well as the entire open source community."
In the past, Microsoft was often "hostile" to the open source community, and it was almost impossible to join the open source community and become a platinum member. This move shows that Microsoft is currently playing a more active role in promoting the development of the Linux Foundation.