[Svartalfiar]

People running linux machiens will be able to use windows apps eventually?

That can already be done. This means that Microsoft is trying to encroach into Linux systems by offering to replace free server components with their costly, bug-ridden, and gigantic pseudo-equivalents.

Can it be done? I know several programs have ported to Linux (Steam being a major one), you can run a virtual machine/remote access, or install Wine, but I don't think there's any linux/unix versions that can run Windows applications natively. You need a workaround.

[GingisK]

You would indeed have to run the MS server in a virtual machine. The real question is, why not just establish the database using a Linux native database? They are free, faster than the Microsoft counterparts, and can be administered without great pains. Microsoft likes to hide configuration controls. Linux controls are publicly documented. The Linux databases can be accessed from Microsoft applications running on Microsoft operating systems.