Novell responds to Microsoft

[Brandon Stout]

Grant Shipley wrote:

> Things are getting interesting.
>
> Ballmer said Microsoft was motivated to sign a deal with SUSE Linux
> distributor Novell earlier this month because Linux "uses our
> intellectual property" and Microsoft wanted to "get the appropriate
> economic return for our shareholders from our innovation."
>
> Source:
> http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;839593139;fp;16;fpid;1
>
> Novell responds with an open letter:
> http://www.novell.com/linux/microsoft/community_open_letter.html
>
> Seems like Microsoft has already started the FUD campaign over the
> agreement.  I hope Novell and all my friends who work there can
> recover from this.

I think this may be a good thing, if it works.  WINE works for many 
things, but it doesn't for all the things I'd like to use.  The list of 
things I use in Windows that I'd like to use in Linux has dwindled over 
the years since Open Source has an alternative nearly everything - but 
proprietary games will probably never go open source.  I'd like to see 
Oblivian, Morrowind, and other games work in Linux, and this sort of 
agreement may be the best way to make it happen.  If anything, this 
shows Microsoft's informal acknowledgment if they don't cooperate with 
open source, open source will eventually take them out of business.

Thank you,

Brandon Stout
http://mscis.org