Microsoft’s Linux: not what you thought it would be
When Microsoft’s Linux announced that they were partnering with Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu Linux, to produce a Microsoft-branded Linux distribution, there was an outpouring of commentary and speculation about what this really meant. A lot of people expected it to be another mini-Windows – basically Windows but with the ability to run Linux programs and some sort of emulation layer so you could run Windows apps as well. That certainly would have been nice, since many people still need to use Windows apps, but it’s not what this partnership produced. So then what did it produce?
A brief history
Microsoft’s Linux is aUnix-like operating system that was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. It is free and open source software. In 2016, Microsoft announced that they would be creating a version of Linux called Microsoft Linux. However, this version of Linux is not what many people hoped it would be. It is closed source and only available for use on Windows 10 devices. For example, with Microsoft Linux there are limitations to how much storage you can have or what programs can run on the OS. One major limitation of Microsoft Linux is the lack of compatibility with other operating systems like Windows 7 or MacOS. Even though the features and functionality may be limited, some people still choose to switch over to using Microsoft Linux because it allows them to customize their interface more than if they were using a different OS.
What is Microsoft-Supported Open Source?
Most people are familiar with Microsoft as the company behind the Windows operating system. What many don’t know is that Microsoft is also a major player in the open source world. In fact, they’re one of the biggest supporters of open source projects. One such project is Git for Windows which has been downloaded over 300 million times and was originally created by developers at GitHub to make using Git on windows easier. Git for Windows has seen continued development from Microsoft even after the initial release and now includes things like GUI support, increased stability, and performance improvements.
What does this really mean?
Microsoft’s new Linux-based operating system is not what many people thought it would be. The company has been working on the project for years, but it has been shrouded in secrecy. Recently, Microsoft revealed that the OS will be based on a modified version of Debian, and that it will be called WSL, or Windows Subsystem for Linux. Many people had hoped that Microsoft would create a full-fledged Linux distribution, but that is not the case.
Is this part of some greater strategy?
Despite being one of the most popular operating systems, Microsoft’s Linux distribution is not as widely used as many people thought it would be. The company has been working on this project for a while, but it seems that they are still struggling to make it a success. There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that many people see Microsoft as a competitor to Linux, rather than a friend.
How does this affect customers?
Linux has been around for a while now, and Microsoft has been trying to make its own version of the popular open source operating system. However, Microsoft’s Linux is not what customers thought it would be. They are just tweaking old Windows versions to have some similarities with Linux such as their bash shell and ability to run Ubuntu user-mode image on Windows 10 machines. As part of this strategy, they also released their first ever public preview of the upcoming Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release in collaboration with Red Hat Inc., one of the leading providers of enterprise software solutions based on Fedora Core releases.
What about other platforms?
Linux is a great platform for many things, but it’s not without its flaws. One of the biggest problems with Linux is that it’s not as user-friendly as other platforms like Windows or macOS. This can make it difficult for new users to get started with Linux. Additionally, the software available for Linux can be somewhat limited compared to other platforms. However, there are still many benefits to using Linux, such as its security features and customizability.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Microsoft’s Linux is not what many people thought (or hoped) it would be. It is, however, a solid operating system that has a lot to offer users. If you’re looking for a new operating system to try, Microsoft’s Linux might be worth a shot.
