Microsoft invests $10,000 in Linux workspace Gnome

Microsoft employees have chosen Gnome as an open source project to invest in as part of the Microsoft FOSS Fund. This means that Microsoft is a one-time sponsor of Gnome with $10,000.

Gnome has been elected to open source project of Microsoft FOSS Fund #20 from May. The work environment was chosen by Microsoft employees and interns. A group of so-called Open Source Champs within Microsoft, together with employees, compiles a list of about five to twenty projects every month from which employees can choose. Projects must have a license approved by the Open Source Initiative and a way to receive the money.

In the election, Microsoft reports that the Gnome project is an essential part of many Linux graphics devices. “It’s also part of Ubuntu, which is the first Linux workspace that Microsoft supported.” The Microsoft FOSS Fund is designed to, according to Microsoft, “give back to the communities and projects that its employees rely on to do their jobs.”

A new winner is chosen every month. Previous projects that have received funding from the Microsoft FOSS Fund have included OpenStreetMap, curl, and Syn, a parser for the Rust programming language. On OMG Ubuntu the reactions to the donation are mixed. Some users are happy with the move, others point out that this is a minuscule amount for Microsoft that generates so much marketing attention. Also, users are skeptical about the hostile attitude that Microsoft has shown towards Linux in the past.