What is your position on Microsoft's contribution of 20klines of code to the Linux Kernel and 3 Linux drivers?

As Microsoft begins its slow migration to the integration of open-source software into it's system, amazing things have happened. Most recently, Microsoft released 20,000 lines of code as a contribution to the linux Kernel which include 3 linux-based device drivers, all in the hopes of enabling Linux/Unix distros to be virtualized into programs such as Hyper-V for cross platform integration.



What is your opinion on this? Do you like it or not, and why?What is your position on Microsoft's contribution of 20klines of code to the Linux Kernel and 3 Linux drivers?
These are disturbing days for the open source community. Microsoft are admittedly playing by the open source code at present but how long will it last before the court cases begin. This only goes to prove that Microsoft do indeed see Linux as a threat particularly when it comes to Server installations



The Perfect Server - Ubuntu Hardy Heron (Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Server)

http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect-server…



Also this may be the start of the evidence of the damage caused by the Novell deal with the devil from which I am still smarting.



LUg.What is your position on Microsoft's contribution of 20klines of code to the Linux Kernel and 3 Linux drivers?
I would worry. Microsoft is known for their huge number of software patents, so it could be a way to try and attack GNU/Linux. After all, Microsoft has shown more than once that they fear or dislike GNU/Linux.



Another point, is that it seems Microsoft did this with one specific purpose only; they want GNU/Linux to run well on their hypervisor.



So this doesn't have to mean that Microsoft is suddenly friendly towards the free software movement, on the contrary. About a week ago Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner told Microsoft reseller partners that Microsoft has competed really well against “the fraudulent perception of free” that is at the core of many Linux vendors’ sales pitches.



It seems that Microsoft is as hostile and proprietary as always.



However, I will keep an open mind. I used to joke, that if Bill Gates didn't make so darn much money from proprietary software, he might be hacking on the Linux kernel himself. :)What is your position on Microsoft's contribution of 20klines of code to the Linux Kernel and 3 Linux drivers?
I wouldn't thrust the code unless it is actually released under copy left GNU/ GPL .