Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft Inside -- Part II: Microsoft Has Plans for the Raspberry Pi or Linux SBCs in General (and It Hides Its Role in That)

Nice product you got there...  would be a shame if something happened to it



Summary: Some 'former' Microsoft employees are looking to hire GNU/Linux developers/employees without revealing who they are and who they still work with (Microsoft)

IN THE first part we explained in general terms that Microsoft is intruding entering the digital territories of its competition in order to disrupt and undermine, or simply to switch people over... back to Microsoft's proprietary software. People who believe otherwise ought to reassess their views based on objective evidence, not Public Relations stunts (e.g. "Microsoft loves Linux").



"This is no joking matters and Debian GNU/Linux developers were extremely unhappy about what the Raspberry Pi Foundation had done."We recently became aware of a bunch of worrying stories in light of the story we broke and exposed regarding Raspberry Pi and Microsoft. We've been writing a lot about that since then. In short, Microsoft is trying to leverage Raspberry Pi devices to get people 'addicted' to Microsoft's proprietary software. It can also leverage data gathered from these devices for programmes such as EDGI and leverage these secret deals to impose Microsoft traps on pupils at schools. This is no joking matters and Debian GNU/Linux developers were extremely unhappy about what the Raspberry Pi Foundation had done. Their code was being misused to prop up Microsoft monopoly, via the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It never even bothered explaining what exactly it agreed on with Microsoft and why (or what for, e.g. how much money was paid for it). Some of those developers spoke to us privately. They were definitely not happy.

Additionally, a recent story was shared with us, illuminating the sort of relationship Microsoft is trying to forge with such developers. It's akin to an absorption -- the kind of trick Microsoft used against rivals in the recent and distant past (e.g. Borland). The details may be revealing to those involved; but for those not "in the loop" the identities will remain unknown. For those who are not familiar with the Borland story, here's an old report:

Borland and Microsoft

Here's some raw evidence and another old article:

Borland lawsuit

A month ago a recruiter/contact reached out to a GNU/Linux developer, saying: "I’d like connect w/you re: a [redacted] remote Linux Tech PM consultant w/STRONG tech doc skills."

Need: 1. Linux OS focused on OS development. 2. Embedded devices- building OS & modifying hardware, drivers. 3. Silicon architectures & embedded boards: ARM devices, [redacted]


This may sound benign on the surface. The recruiter asked: "Know anyone?"

This was followed by another contact/message:

Sorry my 1st msg was light on information. ...restricted the letter count...


The developer then responded: "...What you are looking for is a unicorn. I can ask around. Need someone who customizes distros? For like Dev kits that are iot based?"

The contact responded with: "Yes!!! Here’s a post I made to a group in [redacted]. It’s an unicorn!"

HIRING [redacted]: TECHNICAL PM - LINUX. REMOTE

I am an executive recruiting consultant helping a technical consulting firm in [redacted] staff a [redacted] consultant role. Info notes below.

Skills & knowledge we are looking for: 1. Strong Linux OS skills much more focused on OS development vs App development or Sys Admin. 2. Strong experience with embedded devices-building embedded OS and modifying hardware, drivers, etc. 3. Experience with silicon architectures and embedded boards such as ARM based devices, [redacted] & Raspbery Pi. 4. 5+ years experience as a Technical PM. 5. Strong technical documentation skills. 6. Expertise with Github and related tools. 7. SME with hands-on experience that can build and customize an OS (rather than interview SMEs and write it up.)


Notice Microsoft proprietary software toolsets w.r.t "Raspbery [sic] Pi". The location is near Microsoft.

On it goes:

Key knowledge & skills: (not all required but as much of this experience as possible is highly desired due to goals of this position.)

1. Embedded Linux, 2. Ubuntu, 3. Canonical, 4. Edge IOT devices, 5. Red Hat, 6. Yocto, 7. Wind River Linux, 8. ARM, 9. NXP

If you or someone you know are looking for a [redacted] Tech PM gig that requires Linux expertise, strong documentation skills and will last up to 6 months, please send your resume to me at... Thank you!


The developer likely lost interest, seeing where the job is and words like GitHub. It's a prison in PRISM, and moreover an attack on Free software.

But the contact persisted: "If you or anyone you know is open to this gig that’s up to 6 months and can lead to other great [redacted] consultant type opportunities, please let me know..."

Seeing that there was little understanding of the basics, the developer responded: "So canonical and Ubuntu...are the same..."

Notice how they list "Ubuntu" and "Canonical" separately.

The contact said: "It’s for a consulting company of senior tech ppl that left Msft and now do projects with the teams."

"The developer likely lost interest, seeing where the job is and words like GitHub."So there we go... those are people from Microsoft, who still work with Microsoft ("the teams").

Funny how this wasn't mentioned upfront, right?

"Oh yeah," the developer replied, "that's a good question.. will the person need to use proprietary software or is it completely free and open source?"

The contact apparently knew nothing about what s/he was talking about. The reply? "Oh! I didn’t realize they were the same!! I’ll ask about the question above which is great!"

"Yeah," the developer responded. "Canonical is the company. Ubuntu is the product/Distro..."

"Notice how they list "Ubuntu" and "Canonical" separately."In the next part we'll see that not only the team (working with "the teams" i.e. Microsoft) but also more people are in fact working for Microsoft or were working for Microsoft. Why are they trying to sort of 'poach' developers?

Remember this deals with "Raspbery [sic] Pi" and GitHub (Microsoft). That was a month ago, just about a week before the Raspberry Pi Foundation covertly inserted Microsoft keys and repositories into millions of Raspberry Pi devices.

Stay tuned for the next part. It gets better (or worse, depending on where you, the dear readers, stand).

Recent Techrights' Posts

Dr. Andy Farnell Explains Why Slop Companies Like Anthropic and Microsoft 'Open' 'AI' Basically Plunder and Rob People
This article was published last night at around 10
 
10 Easy Steps to Follow for Digital Sovereignty in Nations That Distrust GAFAM et al
When "enough is enough"
No, the Problem at IBM/Red Hat Isn't Diversity
Microsoft Lunduke also openly shows his admiration for Pedo Cheeto
Do Not Link to Linuxiac Anymore, Linuxiac Became a Slopfarm
now Linuxiac is slop
Richard Stallman (RMS) at Georgia Tech Tomorrow
After the talk we'll write a lot about "cancel culture" and online mobs fostered and emboldened in social control media
Software Patents by Any Other Name
There is no such thing as "AI" patents
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
IRC logs for Wednesday, January 21, 2026
The "Alicante Mafia" - Part VIII - Salary Cuts to Staff, 100,000 Euros to Managers Busted Using Cocaine (for Doing Absolutely Nothing, Just Pretending to be "Sick")
Today we look at slides from the union
Gemini Links 22/01/2026: Forest Monk, Aurora Observation, and Arduino Officially Launches the More Powerful Arduino UNO Q 4GB Single-Board Computer
Links for the day
Next Week is Close Enough for Wall Street Storytelling About 'Efficiency' by Layoffs for "AI"
This coming week GAFAM and others will tell some creative tales about how "AI" something something...
Google News Still a Feeder of Slop About "Linux", Which Became Rarer in 2026
Our main concern these days is what happened to Linuxiac. Bobby Borisov became a chatbots addict.
Links 21/01/2026: "Snap Settles Lawsuit on Social Media Addiction" and Attempts in the US to Revive Software Patents
Links for the day
Links 21/01/2026: Microsoft 'Open' 'Hey Hi' in More Trouble, US Has "Brown Shirts" Problem
Links for the day
Yesterday Afternoon The Register MS Published Paid Microsoft SPAM Disguised as an Article About "AI PCs"
The Register MS cannot help itself, can it? [...] Follow the money.
Microsoft's XBox is in Effect Dead Already, Now It's a Streaming and Advertising Platform
Expect many layoffs soon
Richard Stallman's Talk at Georgia Tech is Just 2 Days Away
We're still curious to see how malicious people (or trolls) in social control media will try to slant his talk as "bad"
EPO's Web Site Misused for Propaganda About Illegal Kangaroo Courts to Distract From EPO Scandals and Judicial Crisis in Europe
UPC is illegal and unconstitutional
The "Alicante Mafia" - Part VII - The Industrial Actions Began Yesterday, Here's Why
The "Alicante Mafia" might not last much longer
Gemini Links 21/01/2026: Edible Circuits and "Sayonara HTTP"
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, January 20, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, January 20, 2026
IBM Hides Its Own Destruction (and Red Hat's)
It's like scenes out of '1984', which is what a now-famous advertisement from Apple compared IBM to
LLM Slop Not Dead Yet, Examples of Slop About "Linux"
We wish to see the totals down to zero
Links 20/01/2026: Cheeto Blackmails France Into 'Peace' While Looking to Annex EU, Mass Layoffs in Capgemini (Microsoft Reseller/Promoter) in France
Links for the day
Gemini Links 20/01/2026: Boxing and "Inbox Zero" Success
Links for the day
Windows and Slop Declining While Microsoft Silences Critics
Microsoft tries to suppress facts while faking 'demand' by imposing slop on everybody, everywhere
openai.com Traffic Said to Have Fallen 50% in the Past Three Months, Reports Say It Nearly Ran Out of Money to Borrow
After the slop frenzy all we'll have left is environmental destruction
IBM Kills OzLabs, Signalling An Attack on Free Software (a Sign for Red Hat)
ibiblio also appears to have died (or experiences critical issues)
Red Hat Vice President Leaving After Nearly Two Decades
IBM's culture of secrecy is not compatible with Free software
Links 20/01/2026: "ChatGPT Health" (Latest Distraction From Being Insolvent) Flops and Raises Concerns, "The U.S. Military Faces a Reckoning on Greenland"
Links for the day
Rudeness and Vulgarity Won't Stop Journalism About Free Software
we seem to be on the right path
Readers Pleased With Layout Changes
Two days ago we began improving clarity and accessibility in the site
IBM Plans for Layoffs Becoming Clearer With "Employee Reviews"
Of course this impacts Red Hat as well
IBM is Outsourcing Red Hat's Fedora to Slop to 'Save Money'
If IBM cared about quality rather than alleged "cost savings" (cutting corners), it would assign more IBM staff to Fedora, but instead the exact opposite happened, with the likes of Cotton and Miller removed from the project
European Patent Office (EPO) Industrial Actions Formally Start in Two Hours
As per the latest (revised) action plan, today workers will slow down their work and limit patent grants
Microsoft Under Fresh Investigation by the Italian Competition Authority
In 2025 we kept a running tally of 30,000+ Microsoft layoffs, so 40k this year would not be unthinkable
The "Alicante Mafia" - Part VI - More Strikes Planned at the EPO, Starting This Month
Yesterday we said that friends of Berenguer or inside Berenguer's circle may have left
Gemini Links 20/01/2026: New Tea, Using a Roku at a Hotel, and "Voltage-Based Power Management for Any Raspberry Pi"
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, January 19, 2026
IRC logs for Monday, January 19, 2026