I think they just have enough demand for interoperation between linux and azure (hyperv) that they are forced to support linux just to keep their users happy.  They can't avoid it, proven they can't defeat it, so they're only left to play nicely or eventually be replaced by it, even if that is just patching kernel bugs to keep it working on their platforms. 

Oracle finally had to as well, as their solaris user market was dying quickly, and really they just needed a stable os to put underneath their other suits of overpriced middleware. This way, they could control and default tweak sysctl's so clueless outsourced labor can dummy install oracle db's like they had a clue how to optimize linux.

Besides, it would be a boon to make linux work with active directory vs. having to integrate 3rd party products around it (centrify, powerbroker, ipa), which would only adds yet more value to active directory to rule them all if not having to.  The holy grail for linux environments is always to be rid of the last components that stand in your way to domination, usually AD and desktops for (l)users, but what if you didn't have to?

If they had a decent visio port under linux, I might actually pay for it vs. just trying to replace it for the past 10 years.  Sadly they'd just release a half-assed, bastard port like they did office for mac, that you might as well just use libreoffice, for free.

-mb


On 09/17/2015 11:59 PM, Eric Oyen wrote: