Fallen Tech Blog

Microsoft have an Open Source Software Lab at their main campus, "housing more than 300 servers which collectively run more than 15 versions of UNIX and 50 Linux distributions".

They state that the main reason the lab exists is for "testing interoperability" but also "helps Microsoft to build better products through a deeper understanding of open source software".

Microsoft even has a techie, nerdy, (sub)site available at http://port25.technet.com/ to present their cool, hip, friendly lab.

With (to my knowledge) Microsoft only ever doing things that benefit them, the question here is, is this good for the community?

Follow up:

Is it good, in my opinion NO. As stated, I don't think Microsoft have ever done anything except for themselves (although this is true with most companies). They may try to come across sometimes as being nice but even still there is usually another motive behind it (even if that motive is just popularity).

The testing of interoperability that they apparently perform, is most likely to either to A. ensure that they can advertise their product as being "more compatable" or something like that, and/or B. to make it harder for OSS software to remain compatible with them.

They state "Licensing restrictions permitting we analyze and benchmark open source software in areas where Microsoft competes or has an interest." Additionally, "We share those results with other teams at Microsoft, who use the data to determine how we can improve our own products." This reads to me as "we want to steal as much as we can from Open Source".

Open Source is about the community. It's about giving back to the community and making EVERYTHING better as a result. At this point they are only taking Open Source Software and using it for themselves. While this isn't wrong, the WAY that they are using it, is to benefit their CLOSED-SOURCE, PROPRIETORY software! That is wrong in my book.

I think that even if they release something to the community that's truly Open Source, it'd still be a win to them as they'd take the communities efforts regarding that product, and bundle it with their proprietory software as a "Microsoft solution".

Lastly, the website (and lab for that matter) most likely only exist to change their corporate image - after all - Linux and computer nerds are becoming hip.

Is the lab to benefit MS - sure, but the community - I think not.