Before you say " No that won't ever happen "

Microsoft has come up with the Edge, which is based on Google Chrome

Maybe they'll see the advantages of the GPL and they'll relicence windows?

Or it may be a trap best avoided.

I can't really see the former (although it would be nice), and I'm keeping an eye out for the latter. Not prejudiced, and not trying to turn this into a microsoft bashing thread, just relying on the behavioural patterns I've seen.

It's already happened; years ago - WSL2 uses a M$oft updated base Linux kernel tree.

It is also my understanding that Android OS had a major do-over and is now based on Linux.

I do wish that Microsoft would make their kernel layer open-source or at least source-available-for-some-license ... keeping the many layers that are built on top of it proprietary as they now are. Apple built both their MacOS, iOS, and iTV system on top of open-source Mach Unix®, which they continue to help maintain. I think that it would be beneficial to many MS customers, particularly the hardware folks, if they could see for themselves exactly how the foundation layer works.

I thought they already did?

https://github.com/microsoft/CBL-Mariner

1 members found this post helpful.

They claim that's only for cloud services.

I think it would be interesting. In a perfect world I'd like to see open source for operating systems. It frustrates me that I "HAVE" to run Windows for most of my games. I feel we should be able to run whatever "wherever" we want. I have no problem with closed source software at all. But the OS is the wrong place for it in my opinion.

I understood that android was built by google based on the linux kernel at that time. It still is not open source fully but better than Microsoft.

Over the last couple of years I've read several times that google is working on their own operating system and will, eventually, replace the Linux kernel. True or not, I don't know.
Keep in mind mickeysoft has begged, borrowed or outright stolen everything they have ever done. As someone else said in a roundabout way, given their track record they canNOT be trusted.

1 members found this post helpful.

I was under the impression Microsoft already released a Linux distro, no?
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/mi...r-linux-distro

And edge has been available for linux for a while... and other microsoft apps like vscode... but when I tried edge a year ago it couldn't even cloud sync, which defeated the purpose of why I installed it (was setting up pc for family friend and making transition from win as easy as possible). Maybe they allow that by now.

Not sure why Android was brought up, but it's always used linux kernel. Dunno what was done-over? Hence why linux is the most used OS, cuz of mobile and server, even tho not so popular on desktop. And AOSP has always been open source, by definition (Android Open Source Project). That is the reason why every phone manufacturer must provide kernel source to users upon request, cuz of linux GPL license...

There are other android distros besides GMS (the google distro popular in usa/eu), i.e. LineageOS, FireOS (Amazon), AuroraOS, etc... also theres a Chinese one i cant recall name of thats pretty big... and other OS that use android kernel to make them work with android display drivers thru libhybris, like ports of SailfishOS and Ubuntu Touch...https://halium.org/

1 members found this post helpful.

That would be like saying 90% of the global desktop/laptop users will be introduced to FOSS (free and open-source) software.
Peripherals hooked onto the PC like printers/smartphones/cameras etc will also become FOSS.
The Linux kernel and distros will need less code so CPU performance will be better.
People globally will become more empowered by accessing free software for work and entertainment.

The problem is Microsoft needs to stay proprietary to preserve its monopoly market share (desktop/laptop).
Microsoft will become bankrupt if it goes FOSS because it cannot compete with existing distros and desktop environments.
Several powerful software companies will also go bankrupt e.g antivirus/video-editing/imaging companies.

1 members found this post helpful.

^ I don't think anybody was suggesting MS would change to FLOSS completely.
No, Windows will always remain the high maintenance cash cow it is.
But they do have their sticky fingers in various F(L)OSS projects, have already been building "their own Linux" for quite some time.

I've run WSL1 on my little Win10 laptop for a number of years. Recently I added an installation of WSL2 with the addition of an x-server which facility I rarely use. My understanding is that Win11 will have a fully functional linux install, with x, available as a simple app download. For me, IMO, it is the best of both worlds.

I was under the impression that when Android started out, it was largely open source but now only the Linux kernel is left. Most of the open-source apps have been replaced by proprietary ones (for the purpose of improving user experience naturally!). So there has been a makeover but in the reverse direction from what a previous poster suggested.

Free software? Never happen. Free repos? Where? Git hub? Hurdling those hoops. Then I will listen.

Wonder if registry or files system structure also in the tarballs. Too much wonderment.

So. Don't care. Just being pragmatic.