[scriptingnerd]

This is something I have long thought about. For a long time, I thought they might set their sights on SUSE as well, but they haven't. I dislike the idea of Microsoft acquiring a Linux company. Despite my primary current bread and butter being PowerShell and Windows Servers, I have, in a past life been a UNIX admin, and would prefer the two camps to remain divided. Microsoft embracing "open source" cuts both ways in my opinion. They may well indeed give back, promote GitHub and give away a few trinkets, but they are still the wolf they were under Ballmer, only now led by a much smarter, more saavy CEO.

[gigatexal]

Microsoft is constantly being chummy with Canonical. Coming to Canonical events — offering the WSL based on Ubuntu, etc. it makes total sense. It’s such a Microsoft thing to do: they could buy them and then offer them as a alternative to Windows and still make a ton of money. Or buy them an make WSL even better and shut everything else down. I really think it’s going to happen. And if they get flack from regulators they can just point to RedHat

[zaat]

They also befriend RedHat nowadays.They partner with them around MSSQL on OpenShift and RedHat offerings (RHEL, OpenShift) on Azure. They also invite RedHat to their events, let them have sessions and so on.

I don't think that the warming relationships means anything in the way of acquisition, what do Microsoft have to gain from such a deal? I think they are far better to work with them as partners.