Microsoft and open source: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:19, 6 September 2019

Revision as of 20:06, 7 September 2019

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== History ==

The paradigm of freely sharing computer [[source code]]—a practice known as [[open source]]—traces back to the earliest commercial computers, whose user groups shared code to reduce duplicate work and costs.{{sfn|Radits|2019|pp=13–14}} Following an antitrust suit that forced the unbundling of IBM's hardware and software, a proprietary software industry grew throughout the 1970s, in which companies sought to protect their software products. The technology company [[Microsoft]] was founded in this period and has long been an embodiment of the proprietary paradigm and its tension with open source practices, well before the terms "free software" or "open source" were coined.<!-- also "seen by many as the archfoe of the free and open source movement" p. 32 --> Within a year of founding Microsoft, [[Bill Gates]] wrote an open letter that positioned the hobbyist act of copying software as a form of theft.{{sfn|Radits|2019|pp=17–18}}<!-- also see Weber 2004 here -->

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=== Adoption ===

In the 2010s and under new CEO [[Satya Nadella]], Microsoft began to adopt open source into its core business. In contrast to Ballmer's stance, Nadella presented a slide that read, "Microsoft loves Linux".{{sfn|Radits|2019|p=32}} As the industry trended towards [[cloud computing|cloud]], [[embedded computing|embedded]], and [[mobile computing]], Microsoft turned to open source to stay apace in these open source dominant fields. Windows, Microsoft's [[cash cow]], became a [[loss leader]] to sell Microsoft's cloud products. Microsoft's adoption of open source included several surprising turns. In 2014, the company opened the source of its [[.NET framework]] to promote its software ecosystem and stimulate cross-platform development. In 2016, Microsoft introduced [[Windows Subsystem for Linux]], which lets Linux applications run on the Windows operating system. The company invested in Linux server technology and Linux development to promote cross-platform compatibility and collaboration with open source companies and communities, culminating with Microsoft's platinum sponsorship of the [[Linux Foundation]] and seat on its Board of Directors.{{sfn|Radits|2019|p=33}} The [[Open Source Initiative]], formerly a target of Microsoft, used the occasion of Microsoft's sponsorship in 2017 as a milestone for open source software's widespread acceptance. Microsoft delivered the keynote of the 2018 [[Southern California Linux Expo]], a major convention.{{sfn|Radits|2019|p=34}}

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== References ==

{{Reflist}}

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== Bibliography ==

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== Further reading ==

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== External links ==

* [https://opensource.microsoft.com/ Open source releases from Microsoft]

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