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Why Microsoft needed to make Windows run Linux software

Posted by BernardSwiss on · 3 comments
Ars Technica; By Peter Bright
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Microsoft deciding to support Linux software on Windows is a surprising move, and the obvious question is, why? Superficially, the answer is easy—developers like these tools, so supporting them makes developers happy—but the story runs a little deeper than that. Supporting Linux apps in Windows is a significant move for a company that has spent decades promoting its own APIs and application platform, and it's unlikely that the company would make such a move just to provide a few creature comforts to developers. The need goes deeper than that.

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Comments (3)

Quoting :- "Wind the clock back 15 years and Windows was the only serious platform for software developers. Linux was already an important consideration for servers, but on the desktop was even less of a concern than it is today, reserved only for the most hardcore fans"

It's amazing how fast you forgot Sun Microsystems ( I mean project Nevada, OSOL initiative, even earlier Solaris was able run on IDE controllers, Sun Multi-threading libraries,pushed forward Informix Dynamic Server, Sun RPC and finally Java as cross platform development tool was born @Sun )
Since I was dual booting a Linux desktop over 20 years ago and switched to a Linux desktop full time over 17 years ago, I'd say their timeline is off slightly.
If you can't beat them, Embrace, Extend, Exterminate. A snake will not change its habits even if you only intend to play with it.

Canonical better be careful unless its real intention is to sell for profit.



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