Bonum Certa Men Certa

Did Microsoft Hijack XenSource Like It Tries to Hijack Yahoo?

Back to Citrix, 'aka' XenSource, formerly Xen (RIP)

As we showed a fortnight ago, Citrix is no longer interested in Xen as a virtualisation technology.

What was XenSource's bread and butter again? Virtualisation.

How much did Citrix pay for Xen(Source)? Half a billion dollars.

How many customers did XenSource have? Hundreds or a few thousands.

What does Citrix claim it needed XenSource for? The trademark, the name.

Citrix insists that it's not a virtualisation company and has no intentions of becoming one. So why did Citrix buy a company solely focused on visualisation (and probably overpaid to snatch it)? Most likely: Microsoft.

Microsoft has admittedly fallen behind in hypervisors, which place GNU/Linux well ahead of Windows. Microsoft is still trying to get its hypervisor technology (it actually bought one) to work and it had to drop it from Server 2008 (formerly Longhorn) due to implementation difficulties. Don't say this to anyone *wink wink*, but Microsoft told its developers that Windows Vista is screwed and that he codebase is apparently a mess.

2 days ago, Mary Jo Foley said that Server 2008 shares a common codebase and even the patches are merely identical, so the first server release (RTM) will be called SP1 (for perception and PR purposes, of course). Will Windows Server 2008 rock? Yes, as much as Windows Vista, with an almost identical DNA. Or as much as the Zune (mind the sarcasm here!).

Anyway, going back to the main point, Xen was a huge threat to Microsoft, not to mention VMWare. Microsoft is at the moment using both of them (there's a new strategic alliance involving Microsoft and Citrix with Xen), whose clear purpose is to knock down VMWare, on which companies like Red Hat depend. Feel free to browse our "Xen" category if any (or all) of this information is new to you because this was covered extensively before, with quotes and citations to back it. None of this is truly speculative.

Discussing Yahoo would have us pulled off-topic and into territories where there is endless discussion to weigh. It's a distraction to our focus on Novell and Free software. However, be aware that what you find in Yahoo may be eerily similar to what we saw in XenSource.

Back over two years ago, Microsoft began collaborating with XenSource. They signed some form of a deal when XenSource was still a small company without much at all in terms of funding (KVM probably did not exist at the time).

“It later turned out that XenSource management began to even contain former Microsoft employees. This included a general manager.”XenSource needed some love and support. Shortly afterwards, XenSource opened some form of a branch nowhere other than Redmond, Washington. It later turned out that XenSource management began to even contain former Microsoft employees. This included a general manager. Sounds familiar? We shall discuss this phenomenon shortly on in this Web site when we get around to Nokia's snub of Free software (teaser: Nokia has Microsoft insiders).

In any event, some months later, despite growth, XenSource pretty much sold out to a Microsoft partner (Citrix). Coincidence? Your call. All we know is that a company which began as an 'all about open source and Linux' business ended up in Redmond with Microsoft chums at the top, cheerfully running the the show.

This brings us to yesterday's news about Microsoft's proxy fight against Yahoo (we're watching it very closely but not writing about it).

A word of caution: Don't accuse us of using 'conspiracy' terminology like "proxy". Don't blame us. Blame the press. Blame Microsoft. They are the ones describing a hostile takeover in this way. New articles include:

1. A Yahoo Proxy Contest: How Good Are Microsoft’s Chances?

Microsoft refuses to boost its Yahoo bid, valued at $31 a share a few weeks ago. It refuses so thoroughly, in fact, that the Redmond, Wash., software giant may be willing to wage a proxy battle to oust Yahoo’s board, according to this report. (To do that, Microsoft must nominate a new slate of directors for Yahoo within the next three weeks).


2. Microsoft Usually Doesn’t Do This Sort of Thing. Except It Does. All The Time.

When Microsoft proposed its $31 a share takeover of Yahoo, the deal’s rich 61% one-day premium seemed a necessary part of the audacious bid: at a price like that, who could refuse?


3. How Yahoo went from Web star to Microsoft prey

A desperate, expensive bid to beat Google; turf wars among divisions


Putting aside the irresponsible lack of government intervention amid such abuse (Yahoo employees on campus are said to be nervous or absolutely terrified), Microsoft may have used the same tricks against XenSource. It invited the company to reside next to its main headquarters, put some ex-Softies in positions of power and then used the "Citrix proxy" to acquire Xen, escaping the FTC's scrutiny and the GNU GPL's obligations by doing so.

Which company will Microsoft 'steal' tomorrow? Less importantly, what was behind Sun's acquisition of Innotek (VirtualBox)? Another attempt to prove that Sun is "sort of a little pregnant with open source" when witness testimonies [cre 2508 suggests otherwise]?

Remember that Steve Ballmer said that he was prepared to buy open source software companies (roughly in October 2007, unless memory betrays here). Microsoft wants to replace LAMP with WAMP, so acquisitions along the way is small money. They are long term investments under the assumption that in a market lacking competition the monopolist sets the price.

Recent Techrights' Posts

"Bad Shim Signature"; So 'Secure' That It Overrides Users' Preferences and Turns Itself Back on (Coercive Measure)
This was a few hours ago
We Covered UEFI 'Secure Boot' Scandals. The World Listened.
To hell with UEFI 'secure boot'
Fake News With Fake Numbers About Microsoft
"This is what happens when the world's economy is governed by sick old men"
Slopwatch: "Google News" is Fast Becoming a Mashup of Slopfarms, Linux Journal ("LJ") is a Dump of LLM Slop
Well done, Google News. Google itself can flourish as a slopfarm mashup.
Torturing Users Who Just Want to Run GNU/Linux on Their Own PC
"Linux does not want to install"
European Authorities, Already Bribed and Infiltrated by Microsoft, Won't Help You Find BigBlueButton, Jami, Ring, and Jitsi
Because they're paid by Microsoft and are Microsoft 'addicts' themselves
Moving From Content Management Systems (CMSs) to Static Site Generators (SSGs) Saves You Time, Makes You a Lot More Productive
try to reduce the cost (financial and computational) of running your site
Leak: European Patent Office (EPO) is Now Attacking Amicale Clubs
corruption has become the norm and scientists are robbed of any dignity
Oracle Fraud (or Defrauding Shareholders)
"the obvious [lie] is that watts are (wasted) electricity [and] and FLOPS are computing capacity"
 
"Bad Shim Signature" (Microsoft 'Secure' Boot)
"Fresh install not booting"
What Microsoft Garrett and Microsoft Lunduke Have in Common
Similar tactics, different "wings"
Links 14/09/2025: US "Economy Sagging", "Michigan Economy Wobbles From Tariffs"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 14/09/2025: Minimalist Snippet Manager and Omarchy Linux
Links for the day
The Face of the Digital Far Right: Microsoft Lunduke
Microsoft Lunduke is an online extremist that belongs to and panders to the far right
20 Years Later and Academia Isn't the Same
"I never dreamed of being a professor"
'Cancel Culture' by the Right: Microsoft Lunduke Contacts People's Employers Trying to Get Them Fired
Microsoft Lunduke panders to extremists online
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, September 13, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, September 13, 2025
Microsoft is Rapidly Dropped From Web Servers, Shows Survey
Microsoft lost about 8% "market share" in just 3 months
Many GNU/Linux Users Report MOK (Machine Owner Key) Issues in Recent Days
many people don't report this online and never post in Reddit
Links 13/09/2025: Escalations in East Europe and POTUS’ Health Cover-Up
Links for the day
Gemini Links 13/09/2025: Lagrange Turns 5 and Lagrange 1.19.2 Released
Links for the day
Microsoft Inside Your Linux: "Security vulnerability that allowed an attacker to bypass UEFI Secure Boot."
2 hours ago
A New Low for "Linux Journal": Promoting MICROSOFT WINDOWS Using LLM Slop
They've just jumped the shark entirely
The Register MS Still Takes Money to Hype Up "AI" in Articles by Microsoft Resellers With the Term "AI" 30+ Times in Them
Notice how many times they mention "AI"
The Apache Logo News is VERY Old, Racists and 'Anti-Woke' Bigots Look for Something to Incite Other Bigots With
Nothing to see here, move along
Linux Mint 9/11: "4th One Today..." (in Reddit)
Remember that not everyone having an issue reports it to social control media like Reddit
Nepal Will Fall Without a Single Shot Fired, Thanks to Social Control Media
Or very few shots (by the authorities)
European Corruption in the European Patent Office (EPO) Targets Culture
"In reality, the project includes a new “legal instrument” shifting administrative burden and liability on EPO staff while creating new uncertainty and externalising Amicale activities."
UEFI Secure Boot Failing, as Expected for Nearly 15 Years Already (Techrights Said This Since 2012)
in the media
Debian 9/11
people report this issue
Gemini and Web Links 13/09/2025: MElon's Slop Grift and "Autonomous Trains"
Links for the day
Pursuing Peace Through Violence
You cannot "see" a person's mind, until the mouth opens
Can We Please Stop Celebrating Shooters?
"An important point to hammer on is that CoCs were never intended for uniform or symmetric application"
Geminispace is Growing Faster in 2025 Than It Did in 2024
What matters is that corporations haven't ruined it and LLM slop is extremely rare
Links 13/09/2025: China Punishes for 'Negative' Posts, US Police Unable to Find Shooter
Links for the day
Who's the Mystery Financier of SLAPP Against Techrights and Is That a Millionaire/Billionaire?
Whose idea was it to fund meritless lawsuits against my wife and I?
Slopwatch: Slow Slop Day
This distracts from or may take traffic away from the original articles, actually written by actual people
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, September 12, 2025
IRC logs for Friday, September 12, 2025
CoC Gone Wrong: Celebrating Murder OK, Complaining About the Celebration Gets You Banned
Hopefully the NixOS Foundation will have a word with (maybe replace) the moderator/s
Gemini Links 12/09/2025: Familiarity and Secondary Dominants
Links for the day
Explaining (in Length and Depth) the Damage Matthew Garrett Did to Linux and to GNU/Linux Users
no matter how many threats we receive
Links 12/09/2025: "Bad Reviews" as Extortion Weapon, "Free Speech At Risk in America’s Schools" According to ACLU
Links for the day
Only One Speaker Does Not Do Sharecropping for MElon (in X.com)
The man who puts principles before PR/optics
The Mind of the 'Hulk Hogan of UEFI'
in a nutshell
A Day After "UEFI 9/11": UEFI Secure Boot Bypass
In the news today (right now), as published in the past few hours
Links 12/09/2025: Slop Code as Liability, Microsoft Outlook Down for Many
Links for the day
It's Still Not to Late to Turn Off "Secure Boot"
If people reboot their PC or server today, and it relies on "Secure Boot" on Sept. 12 or later, then depending on the firmware there may be trouble ahead
Links 12/09/2025: Shira Perlmutter is Back, “Software Per Se” Patent Rejections in In re McFadden
Links for the day
Slopwatch: Linux Plagiarism, Slopfarms Still Infesting Google News, Many Images Are Fake
Google is promoting plagiarism
"This Morning Might Turn Out to be an Interesting One for System Admins Who Haven't Updated Their Devices' Secure Boot Certificate" (If They Reboot)
Who asked for this anyway?
Gemini Links 12/09/2025: Metric System, Dumping Windows, and Software Architecture is Dead
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, September 11, 2025
IRC logs for Thursday, September 11, 2025