Every time I write a story about Microsoft and Linux, I can guarantee I’ll be buried under such comments as “Microsoft is buying control of Linux!” or “Microsoft is just practicing it old embrace, extend, and extinguish tactics to destroy Linux” or “Microsoft is a wolf in sheep’s clothing — it will wreck Linux.”

Here’s the truth of the matter: Yes, Microsoft wants to profit from Linux. And, yes, Microsoft wants to extend and control Linux. Guess what? Everyone does, and none of them can.

At the 2019 Linux Plumbers Conference, I talked to Linus Torvalds and several other of the Linux kernel’s top programmers. They universally agreed Microsoft wants to control Linux, but they’re not worried about it. That’s because Linux, by its very nature and its GPL2 open-source licensing, can’t be controlled by any single third-party.

Linus Torvalds isn’t worried about Microsoft taking over Linux. More>