If Novell's deal is not concerned with patents, then why does Novell wave it as a principal and key selling point, even in a place where software patents are invalid? This makes one wonder if the Open Letter was truthful or simply defensive.

Novell is already marketing its Microsoft deal in the UK. A couple of readers have sent me their UK newsletter, and it's a pip. They mention the patent aspect of the deal, by the way, prominently.

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Anybody but me see a disjoint between this wording and Novell's letter to the community? And if you don't mind my asking one teeny tiny question: Are software patents legal in the UK? The marketing page puts it on the record that Novell is advertising in the UK a product that supposedly has patent benefits and which implies that users of Novell's products are specifically protected from Microsoft patents.

It is unsurprising that Novell uses its open letters to alleviate doubt which spreads from customer to customer. But is it possible that Novell misuses open letters in the same way that Microsoft has, namely spreading FUD while the opportunity is there?