Microsoft’s Open Source Software Lab

When this Slashdot headline appeared in my feed reader, I smiled. When I visited Port 25, Microsoft’s Open Source Software Lab official page, I could hardly believe my eyes…

This is meant to be a research project, so that Microsoft is able to provide support to customers whose bussiness model is based on Microsoft and Open Source software.

“Contrary to the belief that Microsoft is anti-open source, the reality is not so black-and-white,” says Hilf. “Most customers don’t live in an either/or world, nor do they choose a technology based on its development model. Instead, they choose a technology based on its ability to serve a business need or solve a particular problem. By running open source software in a Windows environment, we’re learning how those technologies can work better together so that our customers can benefit from a broader range of choices.”

These are words of Bill Hilf, General Manager of Platform Strategy at Microsoft.
Read the full article: A Look Inside Microsoft’s Open Source Software Lab (Part 1)

This makes someone wonder what happens if Microsoft decides to play with “Open Source” rules. From an end-user’s perspective, because this is only what I care about, I can see some benefits in the long run from such a movement. But it’s too early for conclusions…

Anyway, I wrote this post because this whole thing reminded me of a video that had appeared in the Red Hat Magazine Issue #8, June 2005. The clip is called, Inevitable. What this clip says?

The Customer Took Charge

This is what it’s all about…

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