OpenSUSE 10.2 Beta 2 has been released. "I'm glad to announce the second beta of openSUSE 10.2 codename Basilisk Lizard. It contains a large number of enhancements and updates done by the open source community and Novell's development teams. For Beta 2 we updated to OpenSync 0.20 and would ask for some testing by the community. We have prepared some testcases for specific mobile devices, like mobile phones which synchronize with SyncML, IrMC and other protocols. The testcases also include simple connection tests for Palm Devices. We would really appreciate any help and hopefully many success reports."
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2005-07-06
Well if the issue is protection maybe you should be fighting the government about changing the patent laws.
Since Novell is such a friend of the open source community, maybe they should be doing that themselves rather than endorsing Microsoft's view of things? I'm not entirely sure what you're expecting me or anyone else to do.
This seems like misdirected anger to me.
You think wrong. I'm not too sure where you're picking up anger.
The main complaint that I seem to be running across is the patent angle. If the GPL V3 was not being worked on I would think this would not be the big deal that it has mushroomed into.
You have quite clearly done no readng around this subject.
So instead of blasting companies that are trying to work within the confines of the laws and licenses maybe people should direct their energy to changing the laws...
Errrrr, no. As an open source company relying on open source software, Novell should be taking a lead for the software that they depend on and making a stand themselves.
Also you dont know if the deal was placed so MS would be legal with Novell's patents.
Considering that Novell's customers are getting a nice covenant not to sue them (them, not Novell mind you) it's fairly clear who's getting the mindshare here.
I personally feel that this may have been initialized by Novell.
Yer. That much was admitted.
But only because they had some dirt on MS violating patents that Novell holds in relation to e-directory and UNIX (SFU).
I see no evidence for that anywhere. It was initiated by Ron Hovsepian, and considering that he and Novell have talked a lot for months about 'indemnification', it becomes pretty clear why Novell initiated this deal.
Their revenue has still been declining, Netware people are still leaving, they still have no real idea how to improve their software and turn it into sales and they need something...anything...to try and get some competitive advantage.
Telling their existing and potential customers that they're all at risk of getting sued from Microsoft, so they're getting a covenant direct from Microsoft that that won't happen, seems as good an idea as any to try and convince people.
Member since:2006-11-10
I must say that I'm not all flowers and happiness about this deal either, but I have a few comments to add.
Errrrr, no. As an open source company relying on open source software, Novell should be taking a lead for the software that they depend on and making a stand themselves.
Novell is not an open source company. They are just a company. They happen to have bought a company that packages an open source product, but the business logic behind that was initially as a vessel for selling their Netware, eDirectory, etc. on operating system "turf" that wasn't completely controlled by Microsoft, since Microsoft has traditionally not done a fantastic job giving Novell the knowledge and resources to let it compete against themself.
Novell isn't expected to go to the "rescue" of open source software if it's not in their best interest to do so, from a business standpoint.
Telling their existing and potential customers that they're all at risk of getting sued from Microsoft, so they're getting a covenant direct from Microsoft that that won't happen, seems as good an idea as any to try and convince people.
I think that this is eclipsed by their other gains. The gain of having a "Microsoft supported" distro means a lot to people who otherwise depend on Microsoft and see them as very reliable and influential. That is a bigger selling point, I would think, and there are many other benefits to the deal as well.
I know many people have been saying that Novell's message is "Use Red Hat and be sued" but I'm not sure where the basis for that comes from other than conjecture.
Member since:
2005-12-28
Well if the issue is protection maybe you should be fighting the government about changing the patent laws. This seems like misdirected anger to me.
The main complaint that I seem to be running across is the patent angle. If the GPL V3 was not being worked on I would think this would not be the big deal that it has mushroomed into.
So instead of blasting companies that are trying to work within the confines of the laws and licenses maybe people should direct their energy to changing the laws instead of dictating the actions of a company.
Also you dont know if the deal was placed so MS would be legal with Novell's patents. I personally feel that this may have been initialized by Novell. But only because they had some dirt on MS violating patents that Novell holds in relation to e-directory and UNIX (SFU).
Now i'm rambling.... But it is a lively discussion none the less