is linux dead? (say it isn't so)

[jammer42777]

I've just seen an article at www.tomshardware.com stating that Microsuck
(microsoft) bought out linux.
Is this the end of linux as we know it?
or just the end of linux,
Will I have to go back to windoze?
(Hell no I won't go!)

Please if anyone has any real information let me know

[alsh]

note the fact it was posted on april 1st.

[retoon]

I can't seem to find that article, post a link to it I wanna read it. It is completely impossble for Microsoft to "Buy out" linux. Completely impossible.;) :)

[retoon]

Oh boy. Just found it and read it. Yep april fools.
Summary:
In a move that is bound to humiliate many people who take things too seriously, Microsoft announced that it has purchased Linux today. When asked for comment, Bill Gates was heard to say, "Now let's see them say something bad about me on Slashdot." AMD said the news will delay Hammer by another year, which will put it right on track with where the company hoped it would be.
HAHAHA:p :D :cool:

[LrngTheHardWay]

It ain't so....you've been had.

[bolero]

heh, how can you buy out linux, thats like buying out hundreds of companies.

[enlinux]

ya that would be impossible. that is why i love the open source community. lets say all the linux distros went bye bye. redhat, gentoo, mandrake, suse all of them. that would not bother me at all. the reason is there are so many great coders out there, that they would put up there own distro.

besides lets say linux did go bye bye. we still have freebsd. if you want an OS that is more stable and secure than any linux distro then try out freebsd. i have 2 linux machines and one freebsd machine. the freebsd machine is great. the one big thing about freebsd is that it is not for new linux/unix users.

if you want to try it out go for it.

freebsd.org

see ya,

enlinux

[hop-frog]

he could.
he'd just have to give us all a bunch of money.

[El_Cu_Guy]

heh, how can you buy out linux, thats like buying out hundreds of companies.

Buy the Linux trademark from Linus Torvalds. Then change the license of the kernel. Since it had already been released under the GNU GPL any code out there before the fact would still vbe GPL'd. However, MS could enforce its trademark of the Linux name. Any future versions of the kernel or use of Linux to mean an operating system would fall victim to the hands at Bill and Company.

Sure, someone could pick a new name, but not many people would know of it and Linux would lose all recognition.

While highly unlikely this is how it could happen.

[retoon]

Not neccessarily true. People know the names Red Hat, Mandrake, Slackware, Debian, Gentoo, Suse, etc. They just wouldn't mention linux on the box. We could walk around saying, what OS are you using, and would hear replies like Red hat OS.

[YECoyote]

if Microsoft trademarks the Linux name, GNU will come up with a new license agreement, and call it LIMOS (Limos Isn't Microsoft Operating System).

[bwkaz]

Originally posted by El_Cu_Guy
Then change the license of the kernel. Hmm, too bad they can't do that. The Linux kernel code is owned by far too many people, that only released their work to the kernel community at large because the kernel was GPL'ed at the time.

These are the people that will not allow their code to be relicensed under some proprietary thing.

Search around -- there are accounts in a couple of places of what it would take for Linus, even, to change the license on the kernel. It'd take nothing short of a miracle, just because of the huge number of people he'd have to get approval from (everyone that's ever contributed even a line of code in the past).

[El_Cu_Guy]

Hmm, too bad they can't do that. The Linux kernel code is owned by far too many people, that only released their work to the kernel community at large because the kernel was GPL'ed at the time.

Sorry that should have read TRADEMARK. Linus Torvalds owns the Linux trademark.

Not neccessarily true. People know the names Red Hat, Mandrake, Slackware, Debian, Gentoo, Suse, etc. They just wouldn't mention linux on the box.

Ah yes however, with the number of other distributions it would be difficult grasp the concept for some that theses were GNU/Linux OSes.

We could walk around saying, what OS are you using, and would hear replies like Red hat OS.

However, this presents problems for potential converts (not just desktop users) who might not grasp the concept that all the OSes were based on the same underlying technologies.

While spoken word would be safe MS could very well prevent anyone from even using Linux in any print form (including the Internet). Companies like Red Hat would be in trouble for even posting "<insert new kernel name here> formerly Linux" or "Linux has been changed to <something else>".

Consider if Microsoft released an OS but decided not to call it Windows. OMG!!! Is it compatible? Why'd they do that? Blah blah blah.

[KoalaBear33]

lol heheh :)

KoalaBear33

[KoalaBear33]

Destroying ;) Linux will be tough. The best Microsoft can do is to get people hooked on their system and then ensure that all the applications are only compatible with theirs... oh wait... they already do that... my bad ;)

Since Microsoft already had/has a lock on the OS market, things can only get worse. It is easy for them to lose market share.

The only other solution is for them to develop something so radical and good that people will be FORCED (if not physically, then mentally) to use their system. I don't see this happening any time soon :D

KoalaBear33

[Raoul_Duke]

I'm just going to say 'Palladium'

[sasKuatch]

If MS bought out the Linux trademark, couldn't it be called something like:

The Operating System formerly known as Linux(tm)

and then aknowledge in that it is MS trademark in the smallest imaginable print ever seen by mankind at the bottom of the page? That's usually what print sources do (ie. New! It's WonderProg by CoolCo.(tm)), don't they?

[plattypus1]

If M$ bought out the trademark... which would be impossible... we'd just start calling it "GNU" or something along those lines. :-)