Did MS move to the 'Extend' phase?

[GreyGeek]

I've come to believe that by adopting Linux as its primary server OS and adding Linux to Win10 (WSL), and joining the Linux Foundation, and purchasing GitHub, and continuing to support Minecraft under Java and improve it, that MS was becoming a good citizen of the Linux community. But, in the back of my mind, there was always a doubt, best expressed by the "Scorpion and the Frog"

The Scorpion and the Frog

A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the
scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The
frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion
says, "Because if I do, I will die too."

The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream,
the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of
paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown,
but has just enough time to gasp "Why?"

Replies the scorpion: "Its my nature..."

[Don B. Cilly]

I always liked the "middle eastern" version. Where, Replies the scorpion: "It's the Middle East".
You could have the "I work for Microsoft" one.

[TWPonKubuntu]

@GreyGeek, Yep, I too see that coming down the road... I don't see enough pushback, yet... Nor do I see an alternative, except to advocate that new Linux users refuse to support that trend. I wish Linus could afford to get tough with the Linux Foundation. The barbarians are at the gate.

[jglen490]

So in the greater world, are there more frogs? Or more scorpions?

[TWPonKubuntu]

Linus aficionados, at least those who are old enough, recognize who is the scorpion and refuse to give them "a ride across the pond". Younger computer users may fall prey to the rhetoric offered by the scorpion and attempt to use WSL and to support the changes coming to the Linux Foundation.

All I can say is: "expect to be stung by the scorpion if you give them a ride"...

In case it is not obvious to future readers, Microsoft is the scorpion and the Linux Foundation is the misguided frog. Don't be a frog. Do you hear me, Linus?

[jglen490]

While Linus is obviously a "big deal", the Linux Foundation is under no obligation to follow his word.

However, the Foundation should never have extended itself in such a manner as to allow Microsoft so deeply into the influence circle of Linux. Cooperation is usually good, but can result in being overrun, or swallowed up by a bully. As is the case in all aspects of life.

[GreyGeek]

I've seen claims on the Internet that Microsoft is one of the top 10 contributors to code in the Linux kernel. One source, theVerge, has a byline in an article that states:

"Microsoft is now the single biggest contributor to open-source projects in the world"

To check that claim I search www.kernel.org and the Linux Foundation for lists of contributors to the kernel. The usual list on the kernel.org no longer exists, not even in the archive, and the 2017 report on the Linux Foundation publications list is the most recent listing. That last time I looked at that list was when the kernel had about 7 million lines of code. Now it has 24 million lines and to write it from scratch would cost about $35B US. As of 2017 Microsoft is not listed in the top 30 of any list in that report. The code contribution listings are on page 14 and 20 of the 2017 report. Microsoft is now a member of the Linux Foundation and has even joined the private list discussing Linux security issues.

The evidence I've found is that MS's contribution to the kernel is mainly its Hyper-V code. ("Extending KVM?) Linux already has qemu/KVM in Linux (and by my experience it runs beautifully). Will folks get sucked into using Hyper-V and let KVM die ("Extinguished) on the vine? And its EdgeX code. It is also contributing IPE
"Integrity Policy Enforcement, or IPE, is a Linux security module that will optionally enhance user’s safety. According to documentation on GitHub, the module lets admins configure a policy that allows only code they have previously authorized to execute."
which it thinks will make secure the Linux kernel for IoT (Internet of Things).

IMO, Microsoft knew that its WinX was dying and the Linux market share of every aspect of computing was/is growing exponentially. To survive, they had to join our village, and it seems the village is, for the most part, saying "all is forgiven, join us brother". I just hope MS isn't rolling in a Trojan Horse.

[verndog]

That statement is:

The software giant is now the single largest contributor to open-source projects in the world, beating Facebook, Docker, Google, Apache, and many others

, and not about kernel contributor.

[jglen490]

It's still Open Source ...

[Bings]

Isn't WSL a way to run Linux programs on Windows? So it's trying to remove reasons for people to use a separate OS.

[GreyGeek]

In my increasing usual absentminded way, I forgot to mention the main reason for my primary post. It is the info I read in a Phoronix article that describes what appears to be an entrapping extension.

Part of this DirectX work for Linux involves a new "DXGKRNL" Linux kernel driver for exposing the DirectX graphics adapters to the Linux user-space through the WSL2 setup. The DXGKRNL driver interfaces with the Windows host via a VM bus connection. Multiple GPUs will be supported.

The more interesting work is in user-space with Microsoft to provide a "real and full D3D12 API" for Linux. "This is the real and full D3D12 API, no imitations, pretender or reimplementation here… this is the real deal. libd3d12.so is compiled from the same source code as d3d12.dll on Windows but for a Linux target."

The current support allows only offscreen rendering until the WSL2 GUI support is in place. This support will also require Windows WDDMv2.9 graphics drivers.

Before getting too excited, the Direct3D 12 library for Linux will be closed-source. The DirectX core and D3D12 libraries will be closed-source and shipped as part of Windows. With it targeting the DXGKRNL kernel interfaces, these libraries will likely be of little value to Wine / Proton and the like unless there was a new layer implemented so the DXGKRNL interfaces could be re-implemented for bare metal Linux systems.

(These graphics additions will only be available under WSL, despite Microsoft's "contributions" to Open Source. That, ladies and gentlemen is "extension" - GG)

Via this Direct3D 12 implementation is also how WSL2 will support OpenGL, OpenCL, and Vulkan. You may recall recently Microsoft and Collabora announced their work to map OpenGL and OpenCL over DirectX 12.

Microsoft is also working with NVIDIA to support CUDA under WSL2

(Question: WIll NVIDIA decide to support Linux ONLY through WSL2? If so, this is no different than PC OEMs supporting only Windows. Ergo, "extenguish". --GG)
...
Additionally, Microsoft also published now their virtual GPU driver for the Linux kernel. The kernel driver portion is open-source and ultimately they will be looking to mainline it. This kernel driver is just relevant in the context of a Windows host / WSL2 setup and contingent upon Microsoft Hyper-V.