Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Microsoft exec dissects Linux.

Author:michael j lawley
Posted:3/5/1999; 7:35:08 AM
Topic:scriptingNews outline for 3/5/99
Msg #:3627 (In response to 3624)
Prev/Next:3626 / 3628

I agree 100% that it's the APIs. I believe that's why Java is as successful as it is.

However, I understood your original message to mean that Microsoft should help create an open source Win32 API on top of Linux to help spread the API. Then we can forget whether it's NT or Win9x or Linux underneath and just code away. However, that sounds to me exactly like "give away the API", not "give away the OS". The problem with that (from their point of view), is that once that API is out there in open source land, they can only rely on their market position to effect any changes to it. While this sounds ideal to me - Microsoft competing on merit - I can't see them going for it. On the other hand, perhaps this is exactly the strategy they need to avoid becoming irrelevant.



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