11.21.06
Let Novell Inherit Scorched Earth
Novell has lost their Geek Cred, they sold out, even Credit Suisse knows it. Eben Moglen and the Free Software Foundation are going to specifically design the GPL3 to disallow discriminatory deals such as the one that Novell has entered into with Microsoft.
Under Microsofts Community Commitment terms, the only approved channel for code redistribution is OpenSuSE.org, and then only if it is accepted into a full SuSE product. Essentially, they feel that the compulsion to code is so great that the community will be forced to enhance Novell’s increasingly proprietary and encumbered Linux.
It is time for the OpenSuSE community to speak out, or more specifically – walk out. Let Novell know that they will be responsible for maintaining their own forks (or they can always get help from MS, they write decent code) from here on in.
Participate in the discussion for GPL3, and prepare to implement it. For many projects, this may require an audit to identify code which cannot be relicensed and perhaps replaced, but maybe that is Microsoft’s plan – to slow down OSS development a few years and let Vista catch up. In any event, let us make sure that GPL3 reaffirms our commitment to Freedom.
It is already apparent that Microsoft is succeeding in fragmenting the community, and it is because Novell agreed to this short-sighted, self-serving deal. Because Novell has decided to act in its own best interests, counter to the espoused principles of the very people who write the software the distribute, they must be excommunicated.
He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.
Thomas Paine (1737-1809)
History shows us what happens to those who partner with Microsoft.
Roy Schestowitz said,
November 21, 2006 at 3:36 pm
There has always been a divide between the Free software camp and the commercial Open Source advocates. Microsoft’s Trojan horse is intended to widen it while causing the most damage. Boycott products from Novell, but love (or fork) Opensuse, which is Free software.
Jason said,
November 21, 2006 at 4:18 pm
You have got to be kidding. This is insane. Novell did NOTHING wrong. This is not some Trojan horse. Microsoft promised not to sue Novell customers, not Novell itself. This is in no way a bad thing. It admits to no patents. The deal does not violate the GPL.
Did you forget the SCO fiasco? Even though their lawsuits were completely ridiculous, SCO made a lot of people afraid of using Linux. Not to mention costing the companies they sued a lot of time and money defending themselves. All Novell wanted to do was offer their customers a little assurance from the biggest software company in the world.
In addition Microsoft bought a whole bunch of Novell SUSE licenses to give to their customers. Microsoft will be giving out copies of Linux!
By your rabid, nonsensical attacks against Novell, a strong supporter of open source software, you are doing everything that Microsoft could have wanted.
Have fun cutting off your nose to spite Microsoft.