Microsoft Signs Second Deal With Linux Distro

from the keep-your-friends-close... dept

Mon, Jun 4th 2007 12:11pm — Joseph Weisenthal

Novell's partnership with Microsoft hasn't won the company any friends in the open source community, but it has been a boon to the company's Linux business. According to the company, Microsoft has quickly become its biggest Linux partner, as it accounts for the majority of its revenue on that side of the business (the company's only unit that's performing decently). Of course, in addition to the partnership aspect, Novell bought itself protection from any future legal threats from Microsoft, which has once again been making noise about Linux violating its patents. It seems that Novell's initial success in dealing with Microsoft has inspired others, as smaller Linux distro Xandros has announced a similar deal. Once again, the company and its customers will be protected from legal liability, while the two companies will work together on areas of compatibility. For Microsoft, these deals don't come anywhere near to having a significant financial impact. But from a strategic standpoint, it's clear that the company is looking to use position as a way of keeping its enemies close at hand.

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15 Comments

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Techie Chick, 4 Jun 2007 @ 12:55pm

Everyone on the M$ Bandwagon!
I see the future... No alternatives...
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BillGod, 4 Jun 2007 @ 12:57pm

hmmmm
hmmmm make a deal with the devil and you get something good in return.. i have seen this movie. it never works out in the end!
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GoblinJuice, 4 Jun 2007 @ 1:19pm

Maaan! Someone's gonna get rolled... and it won't be Microsoft.

*sigh*

Dance with the Devil and all... *waves hand*
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haywood, 4 Jun 2007 @ 2:00pm

when first they sue.......
First; I see the Linux community going underground.
Second; The accused commits the crime.

Since you can easily download any of MS products, I don't them stopping the mass distribution of Lindows type products, and since they have already been accused and gone underground, they would have no reason to keep away from blatantly using MS code. The end user would be the winner, finally a LirectX capable Linux OS
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Ajax 4Hire, 4 Jun 2007 @ 2:07pm

Microsoft is trying to be relevant,
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Ajax 4Hire, 4 Jun 2007 @ 2:20pm

Re: Microsoft is trying to be relevant,
At first, Microsoft dismissed Linux as a toy, not a real solution for real companies, didn't work.

Then Microsoft tried doubt, "Linux/LAMP is not well supported, not maintained like Windows, who ya gonna call when things go wrong?"

Microsoft tried uncertainty, fear: Microsoft anounces Linux violates 234 Microsoft patents but don't worry, Microsoft would not sue, no, Microsoft friend.

And yet the Linux community continued to grow and even taunt Microsoft with a "Sue Me First" attitude.

Linux and the Linux environment is the opposite of how Microsoft works: open - closed; public - proprietary; global - centeralized; agile/adaptive - Release Tuesday.

This is another chapter in the Microsoft saga to try and hold onto their slipping dominance in the Information Technology arena. Microsoft is so desperate to turn the tide of Open-Source, GNU, GPL, free as in freedom. So desperate that Microsoft will now try to buy your friendship, I'm just like you, lets just get along.

Next is a closed version of Microsoft Linux.
Its windows with a BASH shell instead of cmd.exe.
Yeah, that's Linux isn't it?
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Cyber Akuma, 4 Jun 2007 @ 2:51pm

So uhhh, how does this work with the very nature and kernel of Linux being open source under the GPL? Can't they just download for free legally whatever distro Novell is selling?
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reed, 4 Jun 2007 @ 3:02pm

Mistakes of not breaking up this massive conglerma
"Next is a closed version of Microsoft Linux."

MS should have made a in-house version of Linux years ago. What's keeping them from jumping in? They have simply gotten to big and Linux would conflict with their other crap-ass products.

If we had broken up the company like we should have there would probably already be a Microsoft version of Linux. This is because it makes perfect sense for a large part of the company (Like servers, customized OS's, and service based contracts).

Right now MS is a lumbering multi-headed troll that can only see about one foot in front of itself. As long as we stay as far away from the MS toll bridge as we can we are safe... for now
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Jake Roberts, 4 Jun 2007 @ 3:06pm

Read GPLv3, it prevents any more of this crap.
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happymellon, 4 Jun 2007 @ 3:35pm

Re: Re: Microsoft is trying to be relevant,
"Next is a closed version of Microsoft Linux"

They could have stopped all of this by sticking with Xenix you mean?
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brian, 4 Jun 2007 @ 5:50pm

Hmm MS...
MS again try to make it's way into open source. I'm not sure what exactly they are aiming for.
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john, 4 Jun 2007 @ 6:37pm

SIgh...
MS vs Linux vs Mac vs Unix vs OS2 vs. Amiga vs. Commodore vs. Typewriter vs. Pen an Paper ... My OS is better than your OS.

Sigh, we'll we ever get beyond comparing which OS is the better?

There are things that work well with each, and there are things that don't work well with each and it all depends on which programmer worked on what and extended which part of each function or block of code and how far they were able to go in the time alloted to them or before they got bored and did something else.

Can't we all just get along.
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Charles Griswold, 4 Jun 2007 @ 8:54pm

Re: Hmm MS...
MS again try to make it's way into open source. I'm not sure what exactly they are aiming for.
The dollar signs.
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Charles Griswold, 4 Jun 2007 @ 9:00pm

Re: SIgh...
Sigh, we'll we ever get beyond comparing which OS is the better? [ . . . ] Can't we all just get along.
The comments for this article have been remarkably civilized. I've seen them degenerate into "If you don't agree with me you therefore must have the common sense and morality of a rabid billy-goat." Here it's been more along the line of "WTF is Microsoft up to now?" :-)
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Ubuntu-Zenwalk User, 19 Jun 2007 @ 1:57pm

There is also the distinct possibility that thorugh these deals, Microsoft will tie up the high level portion of the organization and keep them from creating work arounds with the patents when Microsoft unleashes its brigade of patent lawyers. Then it is a matter of money and desperation to keep the courts to rule that Microsoft is not a distribution vendor by the wording of the GPL v3. Corporate crimes, which would lead to that kind of ruling, are the most violent and well planned of all forms of organized crime.
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