What does Microsoft joining with Linux Foundation mean for developers?

Microsoft has joined the Linux Foundation as a Platinum Member and it implies increased involvement (contribution, support, etc.) of Microsoft in Linux Foundation projects, which
include Linux, Node.js and many other Open Source projects. Microsoft will be paying US $ 500,000 per year to the Linux Foundation as membership dues.

The other Platinum Members of Linux Foundation include big names like Cisco, HPE, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Oracle and Qualcomm.

Microsoft’s increased interest in Linux is driven by the fact that Linux gives tough competition to Windows Server and a large number of companies and developers prefer Linux over Windows. With the rapid growth happening in Cloud Computing and Linux playing a significant role in Cloud Infrastructure, Microsoft also wants to attract developers to Linux on the Microsoft Azure Cloud and compete with AWS and Google Cloud.

During the recent years, Microsoft has been contributing to a number of Open Source projects which are hosted on GitHub and Microsoft’s own site.

Microsoft has also added a new feature Windows Subsystem for Linux in Windows 10 which provides Bash on Ubuntu on Windows allowing users to run common command line utlities. This is targeted at the developers working on Open Source projects or those using Open Source tools on Windows.

The company is also working on SQL Server for Linux to provide an alternative to Oracle on Linux.

Therefore, Microsoft’s joining the Linux Foundation should not be viewed in isolation. It is another step towards increasing Microsoft’s participation in Linux and Open Source projects, establishing its presence in the ecosystem, providing greater interoperability between Windows and Linux to users and developers and and also furthering the company’s business interests.