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That's ridiculous.

As long as Novell doesn't violate the GPL, which I'm sure they won't. And, they don't pick up Microsoft's bad habits. It should help bring Linux into the mainstream.

[edit typo]

Edited 2006-11-03 16:37

How could a deal with Microsoft bring Linux into the mainstream? There is no way that Microsoft is doing this alliance to benefit Linux and improve it's use.

MS has been fighting linux for the past decade!! I can see the MS is opening up more to it's presence and learning to work with it, but never would I say that MS will help Linux

And what you say is naivity - do you think that Microsoft would help Novell "bring Linux into the mainstream"? Both Perens and Moglen smell a rat - and rightfully so. History of MS proves that they never ever acted in anyone's interest, save their own - and their historical "partners" almost always lost in the end.

Let me get this straight: Novell makes a deal with Microsoft to protect itself against possible patent infringement lawsuits -- and you're ready to throw the SUSE disc in the trash? Unbelievable. Talk about a zealot...

"Let me get this straight: Novell makes a deal with Microsoft to protect itself against possible patent infringement lawsuits -- and you're ready to throw the SUSE disc in the trash? Unbelievable. Talk about a zealot..."

Yes, I would. I did. Novell has turned themselves into Microsoft's pet Linux distro. They have the same source code everybody else does. Why are they the only ones afraid of "possible patent infringment"? When has MS ever produced any proof that Linux is infringing on one of their patents? There was no need for this deal until MS produced some proof. At best they look like the fools who purchased licenses from SCO.

But it's worse than that. Novell is selling out and trying to both lock up and impugn the work of an entire community. Perhaps you're young and naive but at my age I've seen just about every manner of backstabbing and sleazy legal maneuvering possible. That's exactly what this is and I decline to be a party to it.

On second thought I've decided to get my disc out of the trash. I'm mailing it back to them along a polite letter telling them goodbye and good riddance.

Heh, an anti-zealot zealot

He simply became suspicious of Novell, and decided to make a point - is that wrong, or as you say, zealotry? You also forget that's one of the best things about Free Software - that actually he can ditch his discs without much ado. Bye Novell, welcome Archlinux (if I may make a recommendation - zealotry is always dramatic, ditching a linux distro because you don't like what they do - well, there are hundreds of linux distroes plus there is FreeBSD.

There are always peeps who think that it is soo cool to call others zealots, just because the ideals of Free Software actually mean something for them. This is boring, really. If you cannot see outside the pragmatical/technical box, that's fine, but don't ridicule others because they can.

That's a complete reactionist comment; you shouldn't be modded up for zealous grandstanding.

Maybe it's not grandstanding, but shells falling from the eyes. Then again, I said goodbye to SuSE the moment Novell bought it. I didn't need a tainted distro and I now can see why.

And you shouldn't be modded up for ridiculing someone you don't know anything about. What you just did fits into the "personal attacks" category btw.
Because:

a) lots of people are suspicios about this move. They have a bad feeling (warning: emotion!) about this partnership.

b) some people express this bad feeling by switching to another distro.This is their own way of expressing their dismay.

Now calling their posts zealous grandstanding and reactionist, and what's more, campaigning against others who mod him up because they feel the same way is just... well ridiculous.

Edited 2006-11-03 20:34

but that's his choice, and other people modded him up because they also feel the same way.

isn't it the case that comments are SUPPOSED to be reactions?

i don't see how the original poster was grandstanding. if simply expressing your opinion is grandstanding (and he didn't even flame anyone), then we're all grandstanders here, including you.

you might wanna consult the dictionary before throwing big words around. now THAT's grandstanding.

Good for you, I just tossed all my burned copies as well.

Better shred them. Never know when "the Man" might send around the shock troops... /TINFOIL

mine went in the trash while I was watching the webcast...

"I just tossed my SUSE DVD into the trash. As soon as I post this SUSE will be OFF all my computers."

I respect your decision. I run Linux because I grew sick and tired of Microsoft's policies and practice as well as their not-so-subtle shady behavior in the marketplace. I don't run Microsoft products and I want nothing whatsoever to do with them. In my view, Novell has made a pact with the devil. The entire deal is suspicious from a standpoint that for years Microsoft has been spewing negative press about how "Linux is like cancer" and "get the facts - Windows is superior to Linux" etc., etc., etc. Now, all of a sudden, they're apparently Linux's new best friend! Bullshit. It's also interesting to point out that Novell has embroiled Microsoft in an antitrust lawsuit that has cost MS over $500 million to date. This deal has no effect on that lawsuit. There's a fox in the hen house folks and we should all beware. While it's true that Novell cannot violate the GPL per se, this unique arrangement with Microsoft may give Microsoft legal leverage in the future to intimidate, invalidate or otherwise force Linux users to bend to their will, by way of precedence. I'm currently an Ubuntu Linux user but I will definitely be steering clear of SUSE and Novell from now on.

Who knows, maybe Bill Gates has decided that the next version of Microsoft will be based on Linux? *LOL*

Having made very clear that mine is only a joke, the idea is not so crazy if you think about it. After all OS X is based off BSD.