Windows 10: Why Microsoft is turning into an open-source company

Hi there

Open Source can be problematic if you run corporate / enterprise applications and need robust programs and a good solid support mechanism - but that's the nature of Open Source --- most Linux distros for example are open source and usually people don't have too much problem running Linux in a professional commercial environment (I'm not talking about Hobbyists / home users messing around etc). Other software can be written by "One man and his dog" and obviously you wouldn't expect to control a multi-million Dollar business using software from that source but nothing wrong in principle with large companies using open source such as Libre Office / GIMP etc etc.

Successful companies like Red Hat make a lot of money supplying expertise and support on Linux servers -- other smaller enterprises use well known open source free server type OS's such as CENTOS with their own support staff if they can't afford RED HAT etc. So Open source is fine -- but you have to choose carefully -- the whole gamut of Open source can range from "Like highly professional" to "made in a shed". !!!

Remember though "From a Small acorn doth an Oak Tree Come" - even Ms had small beginnings -- nothing Micro about Ms these days !!!!.

Cheers
jimbo

 

The reason Microsoft still owns > 90% of the computer OS desktop market is because no other company invests like Microsoft in hardware and software compatibility--especially backwards compatibility. You cannot buy or use an OS that offers as much application and hardware compatibility. Open source is fine for limited-compatibility needs--but if you want the widest choice in available third-party software and hardware, Windows has no peer. OS X, red hat & other Linux derivatives all have much smaller bases of third-party hardware & software compatibility. For me, the greatest value in any OS is the third-party hardware and software it supports. My two cents, anyway...*Wink