WE HAVE long been sceptical and apprehensive about IBM, not only because it lobbies for software patents at the EPO and USPTO (IBM spearheads a lobbying campaign against 35 U.S.C. ۤ 101). IBM still did it -- quite a lot in fact -- since announcing its plans for Red Hat. IBM that we remember from one or more decades ago is very different from today's IBM; the management too isn't the same. For example, 2 decades ago IBM aggressively pushed (GNU) "Linux", but in recent years it was mostly in bed with Apple. A decade ago IBM promoted OpenDocument Format (ODF), but IBM has since then more or less abandoned office suite-type endeavours (sold outwards, just like the ThinkPad business which had become famous for Linux friendliness).

"No connection whatsoever to Free software; also remember that the word "community" means nothing to IBM."When I first heard about Red Hat getting bought by IBM I found solace in nothing but the fact that Red Hat did not sell to Microsoft or to Oracle. As it turned out days later, Red Hat had actually entertained a Microsoft takeover. What a betrayal that would have been (had that happened).

Last night (or around the afternoon/evening) Red Hat published this worrisome new page entitled "Microsoft and Red Hat, inspired," which said "we’re pleased to be recognized as the 2019 Microsoft US Partner Award winner for ISV Azure Accelerator."

Here we go again with the Azure agenda, which is all about Microsoft controlling GNU/Linux. Then came another new Red Hat page, this one entitled "Red Hat Global Services + IBM" and to quote: "Last week, we announced the IBM acquisition of Red Hat. It is a monumental deal, one that will enable us to work together to help customers deliver any app, anywhere, to realize the true value of the hybrid cloud."

Here they go again with "cloud" (meaningless nonsense, pure marketing), but scroll down and find that under IBM "open" at Red Hat is reduced to just an acronym: "Online Partner Enablement Network (OPEN)."

No connection whatsoever to Free software; also remember that the word "community" means nothing to IBM. Nothing.

"They are promoting Microsoft Windows (Vista 10) using the "Linux" brand. "We are getting somewhat worried here. Ubuntu fans will be very pissed off if or when Microsoft decides to buy Ubuntu via Canonical (it's now possible as it changed the way it's registered). Canonical still refuses to delete GitHub (even after an embarrassing security incident). Microsoft is already 'eating' desktop GNU/Linux with WSL and Michael Larabel has just highlighted this post we cited a day ago. Hosted on GitHub, i.e. Microsoft, what we have is the next phase of EEE: "Ubuntu-WSL Package Offers Better Ubuntu Integration On Windows Subsystem For Linux" (to quote the headline)

Here's another one: "Want Better Integration with Ubuntu on Windows Subsystem for Linux? Try This New Metapackage"

So this is where the efforts go?

"In related reading," Larabel said, "Microsoft's Tara Raj wrote a Medium post yesterday on more background information on Linux/WSL for Windows."

They are promoting Microsoft Windows (Vista 10) using the "Linux" brand.

"WSL is about ensuring people never leave Windows; Microsoft already works to make it a lot harder to install GNU/Linux as a standalone/dual OS..."See the Phoronix comments. One person said: "MS has realized that Linux is superior for development, and developers are moving to Linux. However, why would anybody compromise security by using Windows and WSL instead of Linux? Also, I'm considering to run Qubes OS to strengthen security, not other way around,... Lowering security by moving to windows." ​​​​​​ A further comment says: "MS has realized that Linux is superior for development, and developers are moving to Linux. However, why would anybody compromise security by using Windows and WSL instead of Linux? Also, I'm considering to run Qubes OS to strengthen security, not other way around,... Lowering security by moving to windows. ​​ "No, Microsoft isn't acknowledging any such thing, and there's a great many Windows developers that would disagree with you. What you're seeing is Microsoft acknowledging it's basically lost the server closet and data center wars. So to stop hemorrhaging server platform and administrators to MacOS and Linux who require a decent compatible terminal to do their job - much like the graybeards used to need for IBM mainframes (3270 compatible terminal software) - they are adding Linux compatible terminal software in Windows along with the ability to prototype Linux server software in Windows.

"Will it work? Probably. Most people still need Windows to do the rest of their job and WSJ is more convenient than VirtualBox et al.

"But if you think business client development and the multi billion dollar gaming industry are starting to or going to switch en mass to Linux you are sadly mistaken."

WSL is about ensuring people never leave Windows; Microsoft already works to make it a lot harder to install GNU/Linux as a standalone/dual OS, e.g. using UEFI 'secure boot' restrictions -- an agenda incidentally shared by IBM. ⬆