Microsoft and Novell: Hidden Agenda?

06 Nov 2006

Microsoft and Novell announced a deal at a press-conference held on November 2nd 2006. This is the first time that Microsoft actually is accepting Linux as an even competitor. Furthermore this deal has raised a lot of speculation because Novell only recently took over SuSE (popular Linux distribution from Germany). Also we should not forget that Microsoft did a large amount of lobbying nearly leading to the legalization of software patents in Europe.

In particular contributors and users of openSuSE are annoyed:

1. Microsoft and Novell are promoting the idea of software patents and are thus violating the interest of the openSuSE-community.
2. Novell is going to pay a part of its revenue to Microsoft as patent royalties. Microsoft thus is profiting from the work of opensource-developers without consideration.
3. Novell agreed to develop and market a number of "new techniques" (i.e. patentable) together with Microsoft. It is to be expected that Yast2 (the core software of the openSuSE-distribution) is going to be compromised even further.

Here are some references:

• Novell's press release
• Microsoft's press-release
• Analysis by Bruce Perens
• Novell Microsoft partnership faces GPL hurdle
• Comment on Groklaw
• Linux-Watch on the Novell/Microsoft deal
• Linux-Watch on Patents vs. GPL
• Joe Barr's interviews with people from Novell
• Angry posting by Nicholas Petreley (also on Slashdot)
• Jack Loftus interviewing Red Hat's general counsel Mark Webbink
• Balmer inviting other Linux-distributors to pay patent fees to Microsoft

openSuSE-users and -developers are even considering switching to another Linux distribution.

Here’s a funny picture which was posted to the SuSE-forum.