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Microsoft can't stop Linux, says Torvalds
Still battling the FUD machine.
By Manek Dubash, Techworld | Techworld
Published: 12:03 GMT, 27 November 07
Linux cannot be stopped by Microsoft, according to Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, who has given his views on where Linux is going over the next year.
In an interview with InformationWeek, he said that he doesn't watch the competition, is interested in the move to solid state devices (SSDs), and described Microsoft as an "intellectual property FUD machine" that couldn't stop Linux.
Key to development over the next year will be hardware related issues. "The bulk of the kernel really is about hardware support, and that alone keeps us busy," he said. He said that he expected to be focusing on developments in graphics and wireless devices. On SSDs, he said: "they are currently expensive enough to be a pretty minor player, that is certainly looking to change in 2008 and later."
Asked if development was moving quicker than Microsoft's Windows Server, he said that he was the wrong person to ask, partly because he would be biased "of course", but also because he doesn't use Microsoft products and has "no interest" in them.
Torvalds reiterated that Linux's strength is not a feature or set of features but its flexibility. He used its ability to incorporate a number of different virtualisation technologies as an example. "There are many different levels of virtualisation, and many different trade-offs in efficiency, management, separation, running legacy applications and system software, etc.," he said.
Torvalds was trenchant about the benefits of open source. He cited the fact that he was uninterested in virtualisation technology but that it was proof of the benefits of the flexibility of the open source model. "One person's (or company's) particular interests don't end up being dominant. The fact that I personally think that virtualisation isn't all that exciting means next to nothing," he said.
Torvalds added that Linux was being used in a wide array of devices, from mobile phones to " the bulk of the biggest machines on the supercomputer Top-500 list". Torvalds reckoned that this is because the OS can be developed by anyone which allows it to be good at a number of things without licensing hassles.
In contrast, he said that a single-vendor product is unchangeable and will inevitably be skewed towards that entity's view on the market.
He added that Microsoft's lawyers couldn't impede Linux's future development. He said that he didn't believe that there was any substance behind Microsoft patent claims but that "nearly infinite amounts of money certainly goes a long way".
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Add your commentComments
DBMan (2) | Published: 01:00 GMT, 29 November 2007
American brand loyalty and the "one company must win" attitude are also a bit strange. Supposedly some people are waiting for the field to consolidate until there is only one player, say Red Had or Novell. Good luck with that! They clearly don't get it. I don't know about you but I am sick of all this American patent BS. The system is broken and desperately needs attention. I am not an American and I don't live in the USA. But if I was, I wouldn't be focusing on the FUD, I would be focusing on my Congressman and on getting rid of the ridiculous software patents ASAP.
DBMan (1) | Published: 00:59 GMT, 29 November 2007
I think a lot of the patent talk is very much an American thing. I mean granting a patent for something as lame as Amazon's "One Click". If there were big problems with developers getting hassled by Microsoft, they could just put there project on a server outside of the USA. Leave to the those living there to sort out their own mess. Either download Linux, or parts of Linux illegally or just keep on being a Microsoft drone. The USA is far from leading the charge with Linux adoption. It looks to me as if the lead will come from Europe and Asia. I have long given up on America being a leader in the push to Linux. (continued...)
Rich3800 | Published: 00:13 GMT, 29 November 2007
I would not say that Microsoft has nearly infinite amounts of cash but it does have a lot of money. Microsoft's finances are only good as long as its products perform well in the market. And you can only guess how well its products are doing now....