Microsoft denies Linux threat

Microsoft's UK Windows marketing manager, Nick McGrath, has denied rumours that the company is feeling threatened by up-and-coming open source software (OSS) products such as Linux and Apache.

Widespread speculation emerged on Sunday evening when Eric Raymond - a leading authority on OSS engineering - posted a leaked internal Microsoft memo from Vinod Vallopillil, a Microsoft staff engineer. In it Vallopillil confessed that OSS "poses a direct, short-term revenue and platform threat to Microsoft, particularly in the server space".

McGrath refused to comment on the internal memo but denied a key point made in it: "Microsoft doesn't see open source software as a direct threat at this moment in time," he said.

Linux is seen by many in industry as a strong alternative to Windows and could erode Microsoft's position as market leader.

Clive Longbottom, one of the UK's top analysts, recently suggested to Silicon.com that Microsoft is not really concerned about Linux and has been exaggerating how seriously it threatens Windows to deflect the US Department of Justice's anti-trust attention.

McGrath clarified his denial that Linux is a threat, saying: "Microsoft certainly isn't complacent about this kind of software."