Microsoft stuns Linux world, submits source code for kernel

Microsoft's most important open source act

Sam Ramji, who runs the Open Source Software Lab for Microsoft and is the company's director of open source technology strategy, called the Linux kernel submission the company's most important Linux/open source commitment ever.

"It is a significant piece of technology. It is a strategic technology and it is under the GPLv2 license that the Linux kernel uses, and which the community is organized around."

Evolution of Microsoft Windows

Ramji said the code could be used by any Linux distribution, commercial or otherwise, without requiring any relationship with Microsoft. That could help emerging distributions such a Ubuntu gain a foothold in corporate networks.

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