"I’ve killed at least two Mac conferences. [...] by injecting Microsoft content into the conference, the conference got shut down. The guy who ran it said, why am I doing this?"

--Microsoft's chief evangelist

Summary: DockerCon gives room to Microsoft propagandists who want to divert the audience's attention from secure GNU/Linux focus to proprietary Windows with back doors and surveillance

DOCKER rapidly grows in terms of adoption (and hype). It is Free/libre software and it is predominantly a GNU/Linux technology, like much of the whole container phenomenon. This is why Microsoft cannot just leave it alone (read: tolerate it).

Days ago we saw two misleading articles from Matt Weinberger about the Russinovich spiel, pretending that Microsoft and GNU/Linux can now sing Kumbaya. "Microsoft loves Linux" pins are now being distributed, according to a photo from this new article which says "Microsoft has doubled down on its support for Docker, further integrating the software container tech with Azure and Visual Studio Online and demoing the first-ever containerized application spanning both Windows and Linux systems."

Proprietary software is the last thing Docker needs. Docker staff needs to learn to say "no", having witnessed what happens to just about every company that liaises with Microsoft (even charities like OLPC). A lot of Microsoft proxies like 'Open Tech', CodePlex and others have virtually become non-existent, but the Trojan horse strategy has not completely failed yet. It just keeps evolving.

"To drive the point home," wrote Neil McAllister, "there were plenty of free T-shirts available at the Microsoft booth on the subject of uniting Windows and Linux via Docker. There were even buttons with the catchphrase that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella coined in November, "Microsoft ♥ Linux.""

For those who actually believe that Microsoft has changed its colours, here are just some recent doings (of Nadella) which ought to remind us that Microsoft actually hates GNU/Linux:

• Microsoft Hates Linux - Part I - The UEFI Attack on GNU/Linux
• Microsoft Hates Linux - Part II - Patent Lawsuits Against Android/Linux Still Going On, New Ones Filed
• Microsoft Hates Linux - Part III - Abducting the Competition (Android)
• Microsoft Hates Linux - Part IV - Deleting, Attacking Android/Linux From Within
• Microsoft Hates Linux - Part V - Dumping and Surveillance to Counter GNU/Linux Insurgence
• Microsoft Hates Linux - Part VI - Propaganda Wars Against Free Software Facilitated While Media Control is Secured and Abused

What next after "Microsoft ♥ Linux" PR? "UEFI ♥ Linux"? "SCO ♥ Linux"? "Novell ♥ Red Hat"? The bigger the lie, the more confusing and provocative it becomes. Perhaps provocation really is the goal (see Microsoft's quote at the top of this article). ⬆

Photo credit: Neil McAllister