1) It's Microsoft, champion of all things Microsoft to the detriment of everything else.
2) Financial support is financial support.  If it helps one more person make the jump from closed to open source software then it is an achieved goal.

I tend to look beyond the immediacy of any issue and ask myself if x does y what would the desired result be.

If Microsoft funds fedora projects they can achieve a major win almost immediately:
"Why bother installing fedora when most of the software that works on fedora also works out of the box on Windows? Even their own ambassadors are changing their events to discuss the interoperability between their software and Windows.  Why bother with installing a new OS when you can have good old tried and trusted Windows running not only all the freeware software out there but also all the windows apps that linux simply can't handle?"

Who wants a fedora hat with a fedora logo on one side and a "sponsored by Microsoft (windows logo)" on the other side of it?

Unless Microsoft is willing to simply hand over the funds to support fedora with no strings attached apart from declaring where the money has been spent I would say "fedora is doing perfectly fine without your support, thank you very much."

On 18 March 2011 10:17, Tristan Santore <tristan.santore@internexusconnect.net> wrote:

To be honest, if they do take some of their billions and financially
support FOSS projects, mainly to make them work on more than just linux,
then good, about time they used their money for some good.

But I suspect there are ulterior motives in this approach:

1. They are cutting their own costs by not having to use their own
testing people, as I know they have labs where they check
interoperability between windows and Linux services.

2. They figured Apple is looking quite evil now in the eyes of the FOSS
community, in terms of behaviour and openness, so they are trying to
make themselves look more favourable.

3. They are trying to grab off some Linux users, by making the same
standard applications work on windows, which basically means they are
scared. (which will work in the GNU Linux Operating system becoming more
"accessible" to people, as they will say, well, I already use most of
the same applications, I may as well save money, be more secure, and
efficient, and use a Linux based operating system).

4. The main reason why they are there, is to show presence, as many
business service providers are now actively seeking cost cutting
measures, which makes them more profitable, and Linux is an attractive
way to do this. (great for the FOSS community too).

So all in all, as far as I am concerned, they can do whatever they like,
as long as they do not make people sign stupid legal agreements to
prevent them from doing what they want with their FOSS
product/developments. If Amarok got 100k in support, for instance, I
could not care less, if it makes Amarok even better. You may replace
Amarok with any other application of your choice in that example.

I would not be too concerned, after all, there is a reason why people
like FOSS, especially hackers, as they can just code and do not have to
worry about libraries and licenses and god knows what else. You just
want to have fun with software/code.
And as a user, typing in serials, and clicking agreement buttons, yuck,
no thanks.

Regards,
Tristan

--
Tristan Santore BSc MBCS
TS4523-RIPE
Network and Infrastructure Operations
InterNexusConnect
Mobile +44-78-55069812
Tristan.Santore@internexusconnect.net

Former Thawte Notary
(Please note: Thawte has closed its WoT programme down,
and I am therefore no longer able to accredit trust)

For Fedora related issues, please email me at:
TSantore@fedoraproject.org