Oh the rumors, they just keep on coming. The latest is that Microsoft may be lining up Red Hat as their next victim, I mean partner, to join the Linux-Microsoft family for the sake of interoperability. Though Red Hat officials continue to deny this, others in the background are hearing different things from the folks at Red Hat. I had previously mentioned that I first suspected Unbuntu might fall next, but the Ubuntu CEO has stated that he is not interested in a deal. Which makes one wonder how the deal is going to go between Linspire and Unbuntu now that Linspire has changed sides after signing a pact with Microsoft.

Many in the technology and financial fields are not surprised by Microsofts latest moves to make peace with Linux. For years Microsoft had a ’squash them’ attitude which has failed miserably. Even after trying to get SCO to do their dirty work, little came of the SCO fiasco. Some insiders are also saying that Microsoft knows that if they attack Linux with patent claims that Big Blue [IBM] will defend Linux and may also counter with some patent claims of its own. Interesting.

Even though Microsoft has tried to bad mouth Linux and use threats to quell its growth, Linux continues to make in roads into the very lucrative server market. Linux it is estimated controls about 12% or so of server software and is continuing to grow each and every year. Microsoft may be looking at this as a if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em venture. From the outside it would appear that interoperability would be important.

But that little voice in the back of my head keeps saying ‘watch out.’

Comments welcome.

[tags]linux, microsoft, red hat, ubuntu, [/tags]