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Praise for Microsoft from open source Linux leader
Torvalds: You've got to credit it

By Stephen Shankland

Published: Tuesday 26 February 2008

Linus Torvalds, leader of the Linux kernel project that's among the best-known open source threats to Windows, has words of praise for Microsoft's announcement last week that it would share some previously hard-to-get technology with open source programmers.

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Torvalds wrote in an email: "I may make fun of Microsoft occasionally, and yeah, I think they do stupid things at times but I think this one was a step in the right direction."

He added: "Could it have been even more? Sure. But give them credit for at least seeming to open up a little, even if it probably was at least partially pushed upon them by the EU rulings."

Torvalds' opinion goes right down the middle of the mixed reactions various people in the open source software area had to the news.

Some praised Microsoft for making it easier for programmers to get access to technology such as communication protocols and file formats, and to get their software to work better with Microsoft's. Others griped about Microsoft's continued desire for open source companies to obtain patent licences.

Torvalds said: "Does it mean people should trust and love them [Microsoft]? No. But I also don't see the point in flaming them over what is clearly at least an incremental improvement."