Microsoft causes open source geeks worldwide to freak out!

Via The Register comes news that Microsoft has joined the ASF and contributing to PHP under the LGPL. In the words of Anonymous, "lol wut?"

Microsoft has submitted a patch or two to ADOdb, making it work with its own PHP driver for SQL Server 2005. It's joined the Apache Software Foundation as a platinum member, and aiding the foundation's POI project so that it can support the Office Open XML format and improve support for Apache HTTPD on Windows. And, they're expanding their Open Specification Promise to add more internal protocols and allow external developers to work with them.

This is great news, but no doubt there'll still be a lot of open source zealots rambling off one conspiracy theory after another about this. I felt that Microsoft would move this way a while ago, as Bill Gates mellowed out, and the MS old guard (now lead up by arch-crazy Steve Ballmer) fade away to be replaced by the company's young Turks.