08.19.11
SUSE: A GNU/Linux Distribution From Microsoft
Summary: More allegations against SUSE but also a sense of blind forgiveness despite the patent deal with Microsoft
NOW that SUSE is financially dependent on (and subservient to) Microsoft, we safely make the suggestion that SUSE should be avoided, as we last stated last night.
“FOSS Force Staff” (probably Christine) writes about “SUSE” in relation to the question “Things to Call a Linux Distro from Microsoft”. We find it reassuring that other people recognise the problem with today’s SUSE because Aaron Seigo, for example, is cherishing technical aspects while putting aside the deal with Microsoft which he did complain about several years ago when Microsoft gave $100 million for SUSE to become its patent tax slave. As we demonstrated at the time, Novell's PR team had contacted several influential people -- Seigo included -- to ensure they do not write negative things about the deal with Microsoft. It was akin to censorship.
Where was the community when SUSE sold out to Microsoft last month? There was hardly a cry, but this probably because people don’t care about SUSE anymore. It is already well understood that it’s like Microsoft’s pet distro. As for Novell, it’s pretty much dead. Novell promotional videos from Novell and others [1, 2, 3, 4] still end up on YouTube these days, but many of them are no longer relevant. Novell wiped/took away Novell’s patents and now it takes away its distro, too. █
