Microsoft is launching a custom Linux kernel and distribution !!

[Abarbarian]

Azure Sphere OS

"Microsoft built its own custom Linux kernel for its new IoT service"

You have to wonder why they did not use a Microsoft Windows product. An did they really build their own kernel ? Or did they take the open source linux kernel and add a few scripts/modules to it which is not that difficult ?
An the big question is will they make a decent financial contribution to the open source world if they manage to make any loot with a product that has been mainly developed for free by hundreds of unpaid developers ?

 

[EvanDavis]

Well the article does say it is a " custom Linux kernel "

 

[Abarbarian]

Well the article does say it is a " custom Linux kernel "

Yeah I read the article. I was just poking fun at Microsoft as it is pretty easy to make a few changes to kernel modules and do a re-compile. Their self promotion and advertising is as usual well over the top.
I think it is most amusing that Microsoft is now trying to become a penguin.

 

[Abraham Andres Luna]

Microsoft wouldn't use Windows for IoT devices because it's become bloated with features. They don't have a slim and agile version of Windows that can run on low powered machines.

 

[Abarbarian]

Microsoft wouldn't use Windows for IoT devices because it's become bloated with features. They don't have a slim and agile version of Windows that can run on low powered machines.

Yup you certainly need a fair few GB's to make a Windows install. I thought that they were offering a Windows version that would run on a Raspberry Pi once. Not sure if it ever saw the light of day though.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Windows and Linux?

No, that just isn't right.

It's kinda like peaches and gravy - wrong.

Yuk.

 

[Abraham Andres Luna]

It's kinda like peaches and gravy - wrong.

Yuk.

Agreed.

 

[EvanDavis]

Not the first time M$ have developed their own form of Linux LINKY and a few years befor that they were actually running Linux servers.

 

[Abarbarian]

Redmond deploys its old nemesis Linux as the base for its Azure Sphere OS, designed to run on internet of things devices.

This has a lot of old school Linux advocates wondering whether that's good or bad. One website reported the story accompanied by a photo of a frozen road to hell. A Linux writer for a maintream tech site was prompted to note that Linux's creator, Linus Torvalds, had once said, "If Microsoft ever does applications for Linux it means I've won."

Evidently, Mr. Torvalds is now enjoying the spoils of victory.

The word "tiny" pretty much explains why Microsoft has decided to turn to Linux instead of Windows for this project. The OS is designed to run on a new class of microcontroller chip (MCU) with limited resources, and Windows can't shrink down enough to fit. Not a surprise to anyone who's tried to shoehorn Windows onto a Raspberry Pi.