Is Microsoft looking to buy a Red Hat?

[mc0282]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=1369

heh, I guess microsoft is out there to kill again.. Microsoft  have the money to buy off this type companies.. the scary part, why they haven't done it yet?

"While Microsoft and IBM often play nice in front of the cameras, the two backstabbing 800-pound gorillas will stop at nothing to rip the rug out from under the other when the other isn

[noob]

if M$ does get linux, it will become a more targetted system. also, i will go out and get a mac if they do.

[Aloone_Jonez]

noob, even if Microsoft did buy Redhat they wouldn't own Linux, that's impossible they might be able to own a Linux company but no one can ever own Linux.

[WMD]

I can sum up this article:

1.  Microsoft could sue Red Hat up the ass for IP infringement on (the article mentions OpenOffice).  Then, when Red Hat can't pay up, offer a buyout.  I call racketeering.

2.  If that happens, or MS aquires RH in some other way, they could just dissolve all the engineers that RH has working on the major Open Source/Free projects (there's a lot of them).  Apparently, they do enough work that Linux development would grind almost to a halt, especially in the more "boring" projects (like glibc).  Note that I'm basing this note on statements made on Slashdot by a Red Hat programmer.

[noob]

i mean get access to a linux os, not own linux. they woud change a lot about it, and as RHL is popular among severs, there could be problems.

[mobrien_12]

i mean get access to a linux os, not own linux. they woud change a lot about it, and as RHL is popular among severs, there could be problems.

They already do have access to a linux OS.  IT's all open source.

They would only buy RedHat to close it down.

[choasforages]

but its the crazy fuckers like me that won't let this happen.....imagine a bible thumper.....now imagine this bible thumber instead of trying to ram a dead god down your throat....is trying to beat you over the head with UNIX.....ummm, thats me.....the fire breathing unix disciple. not on my shift damnit....even if it means i have to go into seclusion and learn to code C better then kerniham and ritchie........its on of those things im that adimit about

[BobTheHob]

but its the crazy fuckers like me that won't let this happen.....imagine a bible thumper.....now imagine this bible thumber instead of trying to ram a dead god down your throat....is trying to beat you over the head with UNIX.....ummm, thats me.....the fire breathing unix disciple. not on my shift damnit....even if it means i have to go into seclusion and learn to code C better then kerniham and ritchie........its on of those things im that adimit about

Can I be the first to say, FUCKS YEA!! Thats what I'm talking about, lol

[Jenda]

I'll be at your side in the holy war.

[RaZoR1394]

This is rediculous. They've nearly got the whole operating system market. They are also expanding inside the mobile, pocketpc and console market. And now they want to buy Red Hat, Jeez.

[Jenda]

No matter how much they burn, conquer and destroy, they will never kill linux - they would first have to kill the whole community.. and since that is now prolly around 30 big ones...

[noob]

i am linux mad, and i would keep linux alive until the bitter end. and i suppert M$ on the console market because the hardware is tryed and tested,, X86 and the Os is tried and tested, Win 2000. there would be less harid towards M$ if they slowed down a lot and only earned 3 billion a year.

[RaZoR1394]

Well actually Red hat isn't just another distro... They have converted and provided support for a lot of companies. It would be sad if it the company got into Microsoft's hands.

[noob]

if M$ does take over redhat, i think that everyone that works for redhat sould just quit and take any new technology with them. then leavs M$ with a companythat no one they epmloy can work for.

[Refalm]

One post in the comments caught my attention:

Buy what?
Aside from the Red Hat brand, Microsoft wouldn't end up with anything. About a week later, some company named "Blue Stetson" would be operating in North Carolina with the former Red Hat employees and shipping the exact same software (with trademarks changed.)

Within a quarter, Blue Stetson Enterprise Linux would be up and running as a brand and customers all over the world would be lining up to cut their support over as soon as the older arrangements ran out or MS fails to deliver the goods. Hordes of application houses such as Oracle and Cadence would announce certified support for Blue Stetson Enterprise Linux.

Within a year Red Hat would be a fond memory of the dear departed, valiant (but fallen) hero in the history of Linux. And life would go on hardly missing a beat.