A Microsoft memo leaked Monday from an internal mailing list reveals how seriously company officials view open-source software as a threat. A second memo followed on Wednesday, zeroing in on the Linux operating system.
Observers say that both memos reveal Microsoft's intention to make open protocols more dependent on its own operating system software.
"Linux represents a best-of-breed Unix, that is trusted in mission-critical applciations, and -- due to its open source code -- has a long-term credibility which exceeds many other competitive OSes," the memo says in part.
Microsoft confirmed the authenticity of the first memo earlier in the week but did not return calls regarding the second. Some news reports, however, say that Microsoft admitted Wednesday's memo appears to be genuine, too.
The second memo is an internal appreciation of Linux, which Microsoft appears to view as a legitimate competitive threat to Windows. It concludes that Linux has a good chance of succeeding in the desktop market, and is a key operating system in "the nascent thin-server market."
Linux has become increasingly popular as an open-source alternative to Windows on Internet server computers.
Monday's memo, meanwhile, hints at Microsoft's tactical thinking for undermining the competitive ability of open-source software, although the company denies doing so. The most notable suggestion was to promote modified versions of the open protocols that a lot of open-source software uses to carry out its tasks, such as the delivery of email.
"Linux represents a best-of-breed Unix, that is trusted in mission-critical applciations, and -- due to it's open source code -- has a long-term credibility which exceeds many other competitive OSes."
Microsoft representatives did not return calls in time to confirm the document's authenticity, but the company admitted in news reports that the document appears genuine. Like the first memo, the new one is dated 11 August and signed by Vinod Valloppillil, a product manager for Microsoft's engineering group. Another Microsoft employee, Josh Cohen, is also listed as an author, but the source of the leaks has not been identified.
