LinuxWorld offers focus on virtualization, IT interoperability
In a first for the show, Microsoft exec Bill Hilf will deliver a keynote
Computerworld - With a myriad of topics that range from virtualization to new enterprise applications and IT interoperability, the LinuxWorld Conference & Expo opens in Boston today for a four-day run that includes a keynote speech by Microsoft Corp.s Bill Hilf, director of platform technology strategy.
Its the first time ever that a Microsoft executive has delivered a formal address at the conference, although the company has offered technical presentations at past shows. Hilf plans to talk about Interoperability: Dealing with the Diversity and Heterogeneity of Todays IT Marketplace Thursday morning.
In an interview last week, Hilf said his presence highlights a corporate reality: Its rare for large businesses to have computing environments built around a single vendor or operating system. Its always mixed, Hilf said, meaning success now often depends on how adaptable software is for user companies.
Even Microsoft, which for years has closely guarded its intellectual property, application programming interfaces and file formats, has been working in recent years to develop improved interoperability and performance for customers of open-source applications from JBoss Inc. and SugarCRM Inc., Hilf said. Atlanta-based JBoss offers open-source middleware, workflow applications and an application server, while Cupertino, Calif.-based SugarCRM offers commercial, open-source customer relationship management software.
For Microsoft, the interoperability focus reflects the need to evolve and respond to customers' needs, Hilf said. More than half of JBoss customers are already Windows Server users, he said, which made improved interoperability an important goal. Thats value, he said. At the end of the day, thats license revenue.
Hilf came to Microsoft in 2003 from IBM, where he led IBMs Linux technical strategy for the global emerging and competitive markets group. He runs a multitude of Linux distributions in Microsofts Linux lab, has been involved with open-source software for more than a dozen years and said hes been to every U.S.-based LinuxWorld conference since the first one in San Jose in 1999.
In the past few years, he said, I think Microsoft has evolved a lot in its thinking ... because the marketplace has changed.
Microsoft is certainly not an enthusiastic supporter of open-source, interoperability, open formats, etc., but theyre not stupid people either, said Gordon Haff, an analyst at Nashua, N.H.-based Illuminata Inc. Theyre smart enough that if they see themselves starting to lose business because of a lack of interoperability, or lack of using open standards, they will adapt. Theyre not going to be out in the forefront leading the charge. Usually theyre not going to fight them and go down in flames, either.



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