5 years ago today: Microsoft offers surprise support for Linux

14.10.98: Software giant Microsoft has confirmed rumours that it is planning to develop a version of its video playing software, Media Player, for the Linux operating system.

Linux is currently hitting the headlines as a serious alternative to Microsoft's flagship operating system software, Windows NT. Industry watchers believe it's because Linux is freely available over the Internet to millions of developers.

Nick McGrath, Microsoft's Windows manager, said: "We have already released a beta version of Media Player for the Macintosh and intend to do the same soon for HP-UX, Solaris and Linux."

But industry expert Clive Longbottom said Microsoft's decision to support Linux is not a sign that Windows is under threat. "Windows is still a safe bet, and is as yet unchallenged," he said. He explained that Microsoft doesn't see Linux as a direct competitor because no company owns it.

According to Longbottom, Microsoft is porting Media Player to Linux as part of its campaign to avert the attentions of the US Department of Justice (DoJ), in the wider context of ongoing anti-trust law suits.

14.10.03: Several things stand out here. Firstly the tactic of averting the attentions of US Department of Justice didn't work. The anti-trust case rumbled on for years despite the best efforts of Microsoft.

Secondly this reveals just how many major victories the open source community has registered in five years. The idea that Microsoft is not under threat from Linux is certainly one best left back in 1998. Recent wins at government level - perhaps most notably in Munich - have seen Linux take huge bites out of Microsoft's market share.

The open source community is fiercely behind Linux (so would it have ever used Media Player anyway?) and the message that Linux is a viable and effective alternative to proprietary software is certainly getting through.