Virtualize Windows on Linux? Microsoft Says Servers First

Posted 08/8/07 at 11:34:12PM | by

By Mark Soper

Update 8-9-2007, 3:03PM PDT: This article was originally titled "Virtualize Windows on Linux? Microsoft Says No Way!". I badly misunderstood the essential point of Sam Ramji's talk this week at LinuxWorld. Here's his statement from our comments:

Windows DOES Virtualize on Linux
The reporter from eWeek clearly misunderstood the presentation, as discussed by a few posters here and many other reporters and analysts.

Ironically, I spent 60 minutes detailing the work my lab is doing to enable virtualization of Linux on Windows and Windows on Linux.

We do enable both through our licenses, including our desktop operating systems. My statement in my presentation was that my lab was working on server virtualization interoperability and not on the desktop at this time.

Sam Ramji
Director, Open Source Software Lab
Microsoft Corporation

I apologize for the misunderstanding to both Mr. Ramji and Microsoft as well as our readers. I appreciate how, in an increasingly diverse computing world, virtualization helps users choose the right tools for the job, and I am pleased to see that Microsoft is working hard to make virtualization work well on the server side. - Mark Soper

The updated version of the original article follows.

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Comments

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Eat Me M$

Submitted by dave23d on Wed, 2007-08-08 22:40.

I have WindowsXP running in a VM on Linux.

KMA M$

Love Linux and Games

huh?

Submitted by alex911 on Wed, 2007-08-08 22:56.

How are they blocking it? Or are they just not supporting it if there is problems? Vista and xp work fine in vmware. I think they are just feeling heat from vmware since their virtual pc blows ass.

Hmm

Submitted by XRolando on Thu, 2007-08-09 04:57.

Is it just me or is the only place where a clear "no virtualized Windows on Linux" is stated the title of the article? I find it hard to believe that their partnership with Novell and Xensource would end so fast (let alone their contract).

MS is confusing us

Submitted by Marcus_Soperus on Thu, 2007-08-09 05:12.

While MS is in partnership with Novell and Xensource, they're putting their emphasis on .NET and Java interoperability for now. As other commentors have pointed out, virtualization is already here - but MS is snubbing it for now. The article's been updated to reflect that reality.
==================================================
It's amazing how illogical a business built on binary logic can be.

RE: MS is confusing us

Submitted by dave23d on Thu, 2007-08-09 06:07.

Yes its true. Microsoft have been confusing people for many years now. But Microsoft forgets that the IT world is in need on moving towards a better future. Not the same old bitter past.

Love Linux and 3D Linux Games :)

Ummm

Submitted by sc123 on Thu, 2007-08-09 07:16.

Linux companies don't formally support their products running on Windows in virtual form, so why should we expect Microsoft to? The linux fanboy community expects everyone to bend over backwards for them, while never expecting the same from their own companies.

RE: Emmm

Submitted by dave23d on Thu, 2007-08-09 20:13.

Because Microsoft supports OpenSource.
But the Linux fanboy says "Go away Microsoft, you have done far to much damage already. Fix your software, and thanks for comming!!"

Love Linux and 3D Linux Games :)

Surprising!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by fackwindows on Fri, 2007-08-10 12:13.

Microsoft did things for open source.......it killed open source......did u read the news about microsoft making baseless claims that Open Source violates its patents.If open source does violate let them go to court not just running their mouths offs......... I can not think of one single move by microsoft which helped Open Source. The only thing which helped linux was the release of Vista...............

Well...

Submitted by Budgetperson on Thu, 2007-08-09 09:43.

I have a VM of WinVista in linux through VirtualBox.

microsoft

Submitted by plindburg on Thu, 2007-08-09 11:57.

Paul J Lindburg

Just download VMware and you have both Linux and Microsoft on your PC.

The reason you see more diggs for linux articles is.............

Submitted by fackwindows on Thu, 2007-08-09 11:59.

There are more linux users reading these articles...........this happens because windows users are busy fixing their computers from crashing...........

Windows DOES Virtualize on Linux - Sam Ramji

Submitted by sramji on Thu, 2007-08-09 13:53.

The reporter from eWeek clearly misunderstood the presentation, as discussed by a few posters here and many other reporters and analysts.

Ironically, I spent 60 minutes detailing the work my lab is doing to enable virtualization of Linux on Windows and Windows on Linux.

We do enable both through our licenses, including our desktop operating systems. My statement in my presentation was that my lab was working on server virtualization interoperability and not on the desktop at this time.

Sam Ramji
Director, Open Source Software Lab
Microsoft Corporation

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