Financial results are in and Novell is taking a defensive stand. The company defends its Linux strategy despite the overall disappointment.

Revenue from Linux, the popular open source operating system, rose 46% to $15 million, and invoices of Linux products jumped 646% to $91 million.

But revenue from its identity management business, one of several relatively new businesses, was off 7% to $24 million.

In another twist, another distribing headline is used

Novell says Microsoft Linux certs topped $73 mln

Microsoft sells Novell's Linux software to its customers in the form of certificates that they can exchange for Novell products under the terms of a partnership that was signed late last year.

That's right. "Microsoft Linux" and Microsoft as a Linux seller. The bottom line is that, despite all these spins, sales fall and costs rise. Novell could become the victim of its own sins. It has hurt its image in the Linux world.