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VMB_ware -- Now Headed by Former Microsoft Executives -- is Claimed to be Promoting Microsoft DirectX Inside Linux


Paul Maritz
Photo by Robert Scoble



Summary: Non-standard and Microsoft-controlled APIs are said to be pushed into Microsoft's #1 competition (Linux) via the VM company people should beware as it also strives to buy Mono

MICROSOFT is not the only company which attacks GNU/Linux using software patents, not anymore anyway (thus the need to diversify). But some of the companies which are attacking GNU/Linux using software patents are either Microsoft partners or entities which are accommodated by former Microsoft staff and today we'll show some examples from the news. This post concentrates on VMware, which would be better off known as VMB_ware.



As we've been stressing and documenting for a couple of years, VMB_ware is the home of several ex-Microsoft executives. Even Microsoft bloggers are saying it. This does not take some crazy theory to show, one just needs to read the CVs of the top management there.

We have written several lengthy posts which explain how VMB_ware suffocates Zimbra [1, 2, 3], which poses a risk to Microsoft's Exchange (VMB_ware's parent company, EMC, appears to be promoting Exchange). Why can't more people foresee the negative effects of SUSE being offered to VMB_ware?

One of our readers who goes by the name of gnufreex raised a curious point a short while ago. By the way, his opinions are his own are there are attempts by mobbyists to smear Techrights over mere informal words (IRC) of people who participate, so be sure to check context. To quote just a portion of a much longer discussion:

-TRIdentica/#techrights-[phoronix/@phoronix] Wine 1.2.1 Brings A Bunch Of Fixes: While a lot of new code has already been introduced into the Wine 1.3 developm... http://bit.ly/cwdVReOct 08 17:49
TechrightsBot-trTitle: [Phoronix] Wine 1.2.1 Brings A Bunch Of Fixes .::. Size~: 15.41 KBOct 08 17:49
gnufreexWine guys shitcaned Direct3DOct 08 17:50
gnufreexNo can do says themOct 08 17:50
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[mairin/@mairin] @bkuhn can i see the logo? i haven't seen any links to it!Oct 08 17:51
Tekk_O.oOct 08 17:51
Tekk_isn't direct3d needed for like........everything now?Oct 08 17:51
gnufreexNo.. Not that way.Oct 08 17:51
Tekk_hmm?Oct 08 17:51
gnufreexI meant Linux native Direct3DOct 08 17:51
Tekk_ahOct 08 17:51
Tekk_as opposed to through wineOct 08 17:52
gnufreexVMware is creating Linux native Direc3DOct 08 17:52
gnufreexThey bought Tungsten GraphicsOct 08 17:52
gnufreexThey work on Gallium3DOct 08 17:52
Tekk_oh dear godOct 08 17:52
gnufreexAnd they now pluged Direct3D in GalalliumOct 08 17:52
Tekk_that's the biggest patent trap I could ever imagineOct 08 17:52
gnufreexYesOct 08 17:52
Tekk_go for it vmware! but take novell with you first!Oct 08 17:53
gnufreexI am sure VMware wil crosslicense.Oct 08 17:56
gnufreexWe can hate them next.Oct 08 17:56
Tekk_yayyyyOct 08 17:56
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[bkuhn/@bkuhn] @mairin, which logo? Conservancy logo @fabsh designed is on sfconservancy.org . First candidate !FaiFCast logo from @vinzv is: ur1.ca/204biOct 08 17:57
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[mairin/@mairin] @bkuhn oh wow i really love the logo @fabsh did, kick ass!Oct 08 17:57
DiabloD3[12:52:41] <Tekk_> that's the biggest patent trap I could ever imagine\Oct 08 17:58
DiabloD3how so?Oct 08 17:58
DiabloD3and by the wayOct 08 17:58
DiabloD3its for d3d10/11 onlyOct 08 17:58
DiabloD3the API is pretty different from 9 and earlierOct 08 17:58
gnufreexReally, VMware is deader as KVM is better and better.Oct 08 17:58


[...]
DiabloD3Tekk_: yes, but they cant patent anything here that GL isnt already in violation ofOct 08 17:59
Tekk_oh, so there's hopeOct 08 17:59
DiabloD3its just an APIOct 08 17:59
DiabloD3it works the same way GL3 in future mode does.Oct 08 17:59
Tekk_so they could basically just make it a wrapper?Oct 08 18:00
Tekk_coolOct 08 18:00
DiabloD3well, wine is "just a wrapper"Oct 08 18:00
DiabloD3they're making a native state tracker just to make it fasterOct 08 18:00
gnufreexBut there is again problem.Oct 08 18:00
DiabloD3theres no "problem"Oct 08 18:00
gnufreexGames will port to Linux and it will be DirectXOct 08 18:01
gnufreexThat is bad.,Oct 08 18:01
DiabloD3you can write D3D10/11 native code on linux... but you cant run that code on windowsOct 08 18:01
gnufreexThey should be OpenGLOct 08 18:01
DiabloD3and you cant take your windows code and compile it on linuxOct 08 18:01
DiabloD3so you still need wineOct 08 18:01
DiabloD3gnufreex: and noOct 08 18:02
DiabloD3go look at d3d10/11Oct 08 18:02
DiabloD3its almost an entirely different APIOct 08 18:02
gnufreexOpenGL is better. I looked.Oct 08 18:02
DiabloD3opengl3 in future mode, and d3d10/11 do shit how the card wants itOct 08 18:02
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[mairin/@mairin] @fabsh i could tell from the smaller version - it's brilliant. the circuit board roots too :)Oct 08 18:02
DiabloD3they both act and work the sameOct 08 18:02
DiabloD3microsoft basically admitted d3d was trash, and cloned opengl with a d3d naming styleOct 08 18:02
DiabloD3its sorta like what c# is to javaOct 08 18:03
gnufreexSo they will later do extend and extinguishOct 08 18:03
DiabloD3get what Im saying?Oct 08 18:03
DiabloD3well, they cant extend and extinguishOct 08 18:03
DiabloD3opengl keeps pushing features firstOct 08 18:03
DiabloD3microsoft has to somehow get AMD and Nvidia both to support d3d features before opengl has themOct 08 18:03
DiabloD3which is impossibleOct 08 18:04
DiabloD3microsoft refuses to let vendors be part of the design processOct 08 18:04
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[fabsh/@fabsh] @mairin Hehehe.... Thanks. @bkuhn had the original idea and we refined it together. I really like doing logos! :)Oct 08 18:04
DiabloD3which is extremely hilarious about d3d10Oct 08 18:04
DiabloD3they copied an API that has 100% vendor input AND is older than d3dOct 08 18:04
gnufreexStupid people think DirectX is better than OpenGL. And most people are stupid. So it doesn't matter.Oct 08 18:04
DiabloD3gnufreex: well now it no longer mattersOct 08 18:05
DiabloD3d3d IS opengl.Oct 08 18:05
DiabloD3well, d3d10/11 isOct 08 18:05
DiabloD3its the same fucking api, just with incompatible syntax.Oct 08 18:05
gnufreexI have tough time beleiving that.Oct 08 18:05
DiabloD3microsoft has basically killed d3d10/11 adoption because of itOct 08 18:05
DiabloD3all the hardcore opengl haters wont go to 10/11 from 9Oct 08 18:05
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[bkuhn/@bkuhn] @fabsh sounds like you and @vinzv should fight over who gets the !FaiFCast logo,then. :) competing logo proposals could be fun for me & @kazOct 08 18:06
DiabloD3(which 10/11 is vista7's big selling point for gamers)Oct 08 18:06
gnufreexSo then, this is the time when OpenGL should be pushed hard. No phuckin DirectXOct 08 18:06
DiabloD3gnufreex: not at all.Oct 08 18:06
DiabloD3the problem is, the state tracker doesnt do anything for meOct 08 18:06
DiabloD3portal 2 is a d3d9 game.Oct 08 18:06
gnufreexWhy to let MS kill DirectXOct 08 18:06
gnufreex?Oct 08 18:06
gnufreexIf Linux have DirectX, OpenGL is deadOct 08 18:06
gnufreexNobody will use itOct 08 18:07
DiabloD3not at allOct 08 18:07
DiabloD3the most important game of the year is d3d9.Oct 08 18:07
gnufreexEverybody thinks DirectX is best thing since slice bread.Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3and no, NO ONE thinks directx is any goodOct 08 18:07
gnufreexEverybody are idiots.Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3it costs sales.Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3no android sales, no mac sales, no iphone sales.Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3and theres only one game console that uses d3d, and thats xbox, and the xbox doesnt do 10/11, it uses a customized version of 9Oct 08 18:08
DiabloD3so if they're shipping pc AND xbox, its going to be a d3d9 pipeline (or multiple pipelines, and everyone hates that)Oct 08 18:08
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[fabsh/@fabsh] @bkuhn OK. I have an idea for one. Will try to squeeze it into my schedule.... @vinzvOct 08 18:09
DiabloD3all the other game consoles either offer some opengl or opengl-like api, or the rendering pipeline is completely different (ps2/psp/ps3, etc)Oct 08 18:09
DiabloD3gnufreex: dx is rather deadOct 08 18:10
DiabloD3most games being sold are either opengl, or are neither gl or d3d.Oct 08 18:10
DiabloD3why sell a silly PC game, when you can sell 25 times more on the DS? or 15 times more on the wii?Oct 08 18:10
DiabloD3or if you need those next gen graphics, 10 to 15 times more on a PS3.Oct 08 18:11
DiabloD3xbox has very few native xbox titles, and they dont sell wellOct 08 18:11
DiabloD3gnufreex: so d3d10/11 on linux really doesnt mean shit at the end of the day.Oct 08 18:11
DiabloD3not only that, they've cut themselves out of the largest gaming segment: casual gamersOct 08 18:13
DiabloD3I already mentioned iphone and androidOct 08 18:13
DiabloD3but appletv and google tv may end up being casual gamer platforms as wellOct 08 18:13
DiabloD3and microsoft is totally fucked out of that.Oct 08 18:13
gnufreexApple has propriatary OpenGL extensions. Stipid Steve Jobs.Oct 08 18:14
DiabloD3nope.Oct 08 18:15
DiabloD3Apple is a vendor, they actually CAN name new extensionsOct 08 18:16
DiabloD3its legitOct 08 18:16
DiabloD3and several apple extensions have made it into core.Oct 08 18:16
DiabloD3apple maintains their own opengl stack for osx, and also a different one for opengl es on iOS hardwareOct 08 18:16
DiabloD3mesa also has extensionsOct 08 18:16
DiabloD3gnufreex: you cant just mysteriously have a phantom extensionOct 08 18:17
DiabloD3you have to register for a number, and you cant register without a completed specOct 08 18:17
DiabloD3gnufreex: I have no problem with Apple proposing new extensionsOct 08 18:19
DiabloD3even Microsoft had that power at one time, before they quit the opengl boardOct 08 18:20
gnufreexWhen I last heard about that, Apple was not feeding back into core.Oct 08 18:20
gnufreexYou say they are.Oct 08 18:21
gnufreexThen it's fine.Oct 08 18:21


The short story is that it's being suggested that VMB_ware is promoting Microsoft's DirectX at OpenGL's expense, even inside Linux. The problems are obvious; just like with Mono, it's about control and patents. It's something to keep an eye on, for sure.

Microsoft is already attacking GNU/Linux using patents (even in the courtroom several times) and that's a subject we'll cover in the next post.

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