Of course the net is buzzing with reactions to the Novell-Microsoft agreement of yesterday. Bruce Perens is very negative about it all: "What aren't they telling you? First, you can be sure that Microsoft's not out to help a competitor. This announcement paves the way for Microsoft to implement significant control over commercial customer's use of Free Software. And it has significant negative implications for Open Source in general." Eben Moglen of the FSF says about the possible GPL issues: "If you make an agreement which requires you to pay a royalty to anybody for the right to distribute GPL software, you may not distribute it under the GPL."
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Member since:2006-01-06
Novell has turned themselves into Microsoft's pet Linux distro. They have the same source code everybody else does.
Yeah, and consequently, Novell previously ran the same risk of being sued.
Why are they the only ones afraid of "possible patent infringment"?
They're not the only ones afraid of possible patent infringement. Red Hat, whether it wants to admit it or not, is also afraid of that scenario. But the difference is that Novell decided not to gamble with shareholder money. Novell minimized its risk and, in an environment of uncertainty, that means a lot to investors.
But it's worse than that. Novell is selling out and trying to both lock up and impugn the work of an entire community.
Novell isn't "locking up" or "impugning" anyone's work. That's your opinion. The GPL is doing quite fine, thank you very much, regardless of this agreement.
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.
Yeah, poor, dumb, naive me. I only started coding in the late 70's on a DEC PDP-8. I mean, what do I know... /SARCASM
Member since:
2006-02-04
"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.