The Microsoft Linux Foundation is a hypothetical entity envisioned to deepen the collaborative efforts between Microsoft and the Linux open-source community. While a formal "Microsoft Linux Foundation" remains a hypothetical concept, its envisioning reflects the significant and evolving relationship between these two technology giants.
Historically, Microsoft's relationship with Linux was characterized by strong competition. However, this dynamic began to shift dramatically in the 21st century, moving towards collaboration and integration. This pivot saw Microsoft actively engaging with the Linux community, contributing to the Linux kernel, and embracing Linux across various products and services.
A significant milestone demonstrating this shift was the hiring of Daniel Robbins, the founder of Gentoo Linux, by Microsoft in 2005. This move was seen as an early indicator of Microsoft's changing strategy and willingness to work with open-source leaders. Further commitments include Microsoft becoming a platinum member of the Linux Foundation, contributing to numerous open-source projects, and integrating Linux functionalities into Windows, such as the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). The company also extensively uses and offers Linux-based solutions on its Azure cloud platform.
The sentiment of this evolving collaboration is visually represented in the image below, showing the Microsoft logo and Tux, the Linux mascot, next to a sign that reads "Microsoft ❤️ Linux."
