Microsoft headhunters seek Linux folk for secret open source unit

Microsoft is recruiting from open-sourcers to build a unit apparently selling open-source wares on its Azure cloud. Recruiters working on behalf of Microsoft have been contacting employees of Linux firms, interviewing them for what’s being called an open source practice. Microsoft is specifically looking for those with …

[CAPS LOCK]

This is the AWS effect...

... I'd sum it up as 'Work with AWS or be killed by AWS'. We live in interesting times...

[Lusty]

This is neither new nor a secret. I've worked with the Linux chaps at Microsoft in the UK on several occasions over the last year or two. This just shows the inevitable expansion of that team as the focus shifts to cloud rather than software.

[boatsman]

if you cant beat them.....

join them.

Already had the interview experience :-)

[asdf]

Re: if you cant beat them.....

Join google in data mining users which is why M$ is no longer afraid of open source.

[Anonymous Coward]

They recently recruited the head of the Linux team at Oracle.

[Anonymous Coward]

Old news.

They tried to ping me more then 3 years ago. At that point this was going on for at least 6 months (knowing when the "usual suspects" started there).

1. The window for "high level" is now pretty much closed - this "secret hiring" (quotes needed) is "hiring grunts"

2. It required moving to the drizzle. While moving out of the UK you may not really notice the difference, if I move somewhere, I will move to a place with better weather, not weather which is as bad if not worse.

It was fairly secret then. Now? Not so much. In fact - not at all.

[asdf]

Re: Old news.

I do enjoy my 320 days of sunshine a year. Of course 45 celsius summers take getting used to.

[Anonymous Coward]

meta operating system

Anybody can see that they have shifted the focus from wanting to own the PC operating system to owning your operating system (any) AND your data in azure....

[Anonymous Coward]

Only Linus can save us!

That's right, patch the kernel so it won't run on evil slurping Azure VMs!

[PNGuinn]

"Microsoft headhunters seek Linux folk for secret open source unit"

Eh ??

In other news ... A clove of garlic a day is the secret of long life. Phew.

BTW - is the pope still a catholic?

[Anonymous Coward]

Windows 11 will be an api shim over Linux.

[Teiwaz]

Totally random Monty Python reference.

"Windows 11 will be an api shim over Linux."

Why do I picture the twenty-foot electric penguin (with tentacles) from 'Scott of the Sahara'?

[TVU]

"Windows 11 will be an api shim over Linux."

Look on the bright side - it'll mean an end to Windows BSODs and monthly Tuesday updates that bork the OS.

[Captain DaFt]

"Look on the bright side - it'll mean an end to Windows BSODs and monthly Tuesday updates that bork the OS."

Ah, padawan, you have much more faith in the robustness of Linux.

But the bork is very strong in Redmond, do not underestimate it.

[Anonymous Coward]

BSOD ? I'm sure they have a substantial budget set aside to incorporate them.

[alain williams]

API Shim

I would like that - it would mean that all laptop hardware would have a Linux driver that worked (or at least provided by the manufacturer, so could be improved on).

[gv]

Re: API Shim

Over the last 8 years or so of installing/running Linux on laptops, I've not had a problem with any drivers. (But then I steer clear of installing the proprietary video drivers.)

[x 7]

how practical would it be for Microsoft to provide an alternative mapping solution, and alternative Store, for Android? Could you strip out the contentious Google stuff and replace it with Microsoft stuff?

[Doctor Syntax]

"Could you strip out the contentious Google stuff and replace it with Microsoft stuff?"

Maybe they're already working on it: Cyanogen.

Nevertheless a slight FTFY is needed. "Replace it with contentious Microsoft stuff"

[Bob Vistakin]

Me too

Sums up microsofts Linux policy.

[Paul 77]

Change of attitude?

So does that mean we can expect an update to their Linux client for Skype sometime this year?

I'll not hold my breath.

[forcing_you_to_think]

Adopt, extend, destroy....

Microsoft has long had a history of adopting a technology, then extending the technology with proprietary stuff and trying to "own" the technology through extension.

I'd be very wary of getting in bed with Microsoft - the same company that has consistently used proprietary source code and patents to sue Linux rivals into paying it to allow them to continue.

[Ropewash]

EEE

I doubt that the old Microsoft strategy would work on anything Linux without smacking right into the GPL. I can't see any licence with Stallman's name on it allowing a bog-standard MS takeover attempt to occur.

Maybe they could massage that shim you speak of to subvert the market but it would probably be very difficult. Microsoft would be better served to build on BSD in that regard.

But I can dream and I wouldn't actually mind an MS distro in the sea of other Linuxis out there.

Maybe they'd bring some fresh ideas to the mix especially around desktop environments and their interoperability. (I say while typing on a Frankenstein's hybrid of KDE and Cinnamon.)

Really... How many volume control applications do we actually need?

(Seriously I tried Kmix, XFCE volume, Gnome volume, basic Alsamixer and/or PAVC and finally settled on the Cinnamon control since it allows the easiest sink switching.)

[wayward4now]

Access for Linux anyone??

Someone answer my prayers and tell me that we will have MS Access database for Linux? We have never had an

Access killer app for Linux and that is a huge block for adoption of Linux in the office space.