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Novell is Already Shrinking Under AttachMSFT's Reign

AttachMSFTSummary: Layoffs at Novell take place just days after the company's signing of a terrible transaction which puts many patents in Microsoft's hands

YESTERDAY we began publishing a string of posts about the end of Novell [1, 2]. Then, some Novell employees started badmouthing yours truly in public. This rarely happens unless they mask their names and/or IP addresses (that's where a lot of the incitations and lies about Techrights come from). So I knew something must have happened and shortly afterwards Will gave me (via IRC) this link to yesterday's report from Paul Koepp, who claims that hundreds are being laid off in Novell's Provo office. From his article:



Novell Inc. laid off hundreds of employees Monday from its Provo office, just days after the company was sold, according to employees.

Company officials would not take questions or talk specifics about the number of jobs cut, giving KSL News only a prepared statement.

[...]

As a result of the merger, Novell stock stopped trading publicly Wednesday. The company also said it was selling patents to CPTN Holdings LLC, a consortium organized by Microsoft Corp., for $450 million.


Well, at least Microsoft is happy. That's what happens when one partners with Microsoft. It takes your spouse and leaves you homeless. When will they learn? Here is the 20-minute conversation that followed (in one of our IRC channels). It also talks about Mono, Novell's and Microsoft's baby.

Will_http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=15382738May 03 13:55
GoForbes28it, I want to wipe it so the code no longer matches what the manufacturer put itMay 03 13:55
TechrightsBot-trTitle: Employees say hundreds laid off at Novell's Provo office - ksl.com .::. Size~: 46.63 KBMay 03 13:55
GoForbes28Will_: To be expected.  Novell is a Nortel-like state of euphoric denialMay 03 13:55
DaemonFCyeah, now Canonical promoted Mono May 03 13:55
DaemonFCthe only thing they've developed so far are some self-serving Banshee plugins that siphon revenue from the GNOME projectMay 03 13:56
DaemonFC:)May 03 13:56
Will_Ugh.  Mono needs to die.May 03 13:56
GoForbes28maybe we should spread the association with Mono the diseaseMay 03 13:56
DaemonFCUbuntu has as much Mono as OpenSuse GNOME edition ever didMay 03 13:57
GoForbes28you know, like how the "entertainment" "industry" did with the term piracy and theftMay 03 13:57
DaemonFCbut what's funny is that Monotorrent and the GUI frontend, MonsoonMay 03 13:57
GoForbes28Tell people to use Kubuntu or XubuntuMay 03 13:57
DaemonFCthose were so bad that they ended up getting rid of them in OpenSuse May 03 13:57
GoForbes28oiaohm: Do you know of what I speak in regards to the TPM?May 03 13:57
GoForbes28DaemonFC: $$$May 03 13:58
Will_I'd thought that was already a common association.  Mono is an infection that makes things sluggish.  Wait, was I talking about the virus or the programming language?May 03 13:58
oiaohmGoForbes28:  around Linux tpm software there are all the tools to clear the TPM.May 03 13:58
GoForbes28oiaohm: I remember you telling me that.  Is there instructions or some sort of tutorial?May 03 13:58
oiaohmGoForbes28: If software is not possible it is possible to physically high voltage a pin to clear the TPM as well.May 03 13:58
oiaohmGoForbes28: TPM was really not designed to keep the owner out if they need to break the device on most X86 motherboards.May 03 13:59
DaemonFCThe scary thing is that there are actually a couple of really good programs made with Mono, only a couple, only ones made to demonstrate it withMay 03 13:59
DaemonFCNovell poured a lot of money into BansheeMay 03 13:59
DaemonFCand Pinta is mostly recycled Paint.NET codeMay 03 13:59
oiaohmDaemonFC: Banshee was build by staff that had worked on rythimbox. and for a while they worked on both.May 03 14:00
GoForbes28oiaohm: I'm thinking from the Trusted computing perspectiveMay 03 14:00
DaemonFCYeah, Rhythmbox is not maintained very well anymore May 03 14:00
GoForbes28oiaohm: I believe in the near future that the TPM will become a problem, and I'm not waiting to find outMay 03 14:00
Will_Banshee really needs to _not_ be in the default Ubuntu install.  I usually wipe Mono first thing, but now, won't wiping Mono from 11.04 will break the upgrade path in the package manager?May 03 14:00
DaemonFCand those guys are promoting Banshee as a replacement for users that want to know why things in Rhythmbox are broken or not being fixedMay 03 14:00
oiaohmhttp://sourceforge.net/projects/trousers/  So you are thinking this.  GoForbes28May 03 14:00
TechrightsBot-trTitle: trousers | Download trousers software for free at SourceForge.net .::. Size~: 24.34 KBMay 03 14:00
DaemonFChmmmMay 03 14:01
DaemonFCgood questionMay 03 14:01
GoForbes28oiaohm: I guessMay 03 14:01
GoForbes28oiaohm: Since my hardware experience is lacking, I would think the software approach would be the ideal first stepMay 03 14:01
oiaohmGoForbes28: Yes trousers is the software you use to TPM the complete Linux system.May 03 14:01
DaemonFCryan@ryan-MS-7501:~$ sudo apt-get purge mono-runtimeMay 03 14:01
DaemonFCReading package lists... DoneMay 03 14:01
DaemonFCBuilding dependency tree       May 03 14:01
DaemonFCReading state information... DoneMay 03 14:01
DaemonFCThe following packages will be REMOVED:May 03 14:01
DaemonFC  banshee* banshee-extension-soundmenu* banshee-extension-ubuntuonemusicstore*May 03 14:01
DaemonFC  gbrainy* libappindicator0.1-cil* libart2.0-cil* libgconf2.0-cil*May 03 14:01
DaemonFC  libgdata1.7-cil* libgkeyfile1.0-cil* libglade2.0-cil* libglib2.0-cil*May 03 14:01
DaemonFC  libgmime2.4-cil* libgnome-vfs2.0-cil* libgnome2.24-cil*May 03 14:01
DaemonFC  libgtk-sharp-beans-cil* libgtk2.0-cil* libgudev1.0-cil*May 03 14:01
DaemonFC  liblaunchpad-integration1.0-cil* libmono-addins-gui0.2-cil*May 03 14:01
DaemonFC  libmono-addins0.2-cil* libmono-cairo2.0-cil* libmono-corlib2.0-cil*May 03 14:02
DaemonFC  libmono-i18n-west2.0-cil* libmono-management2.0-cil* libmono-posix2.0-cil*May 03 14:02
DaemonFC  libmono-security2.0-cil* libmono-sharpzip2.84-cil* libmono-system2.0-cil*May 03 14:02
GoForbes28sudo apt-get instal nomomonoMay 03 14:02
DaemonFC  libmono-zeroconf1.0-cil* libndesk-dbus-glib1.0-cil* libndesk-dbus1.0-cil*May 03 14:02
DaemonFC  libnotify0.4-cil* libtaglib2.0-cil* libubuntuone1.0-cil* mono-2.0-gac*May 03 14:02
Will_DaemonFC:  what needs to happen is for more programs like Gnote to be written.  Like you said, there aren't that many good Mono programs.  May 03 14:02
DaemonFC  mono-csharp-shell* mono-gac* mono-gmcs* mono-runtime* pinta* tomboy*May 03 14:02
DaemonFC0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 41 to remove and 0 not upgraded.May 03 14:02
DaemonFCAfter this operation, 36.6 MB disk space will be freed.May 03 14:02
DaemonFCDo you want to continue [Y/n]? May 03 14:02
GoForbes28YMay 03 14:02
DaemonFCWill_, There's a couple, and obviously that's enough to get it wedged into distros like UbuntuMay 03 14:02
oiaohmWill_:  Really we need gimp to get its updates done.May 03 14:02
GoForbes28oiaohm: What's the effectiveness of the software on the TPMMay 03 14:02
DaemonFCall they need is an excuse, and Banshee and Pinta give it to themMay 03 14:02
oiaohmGoForbes28: TPM is always designed to have a hardware backing.May 03 14:03
oiaohmGoForbes28: Its basically a checksumed executable system so you cannot change stuff without approval.May 03 14:03
DaemonFCI like how they renamed all the mono packages to get rid of the "ms" parts to the nameMay 03 14:03
DaemonFClike mscorelib is now just corelibMay 03 14:03
DaemonFC:PMay 03 14:03
DaemonFCWill_, Looks like it won't break the desktop packageMay 03 14:04
DaemonFCthe desktop package recommends the Mono appsMay 03 14:04
DaemonFCbut it doesn't depend on themMay 03 14:04
Will_DaemonFC: classic MS whitewashing.  Just like how some of their mouthpieces sometimes edit their info to scrub their connection to MS just prior to or during a smear campaign. May 03 14:04
oiaohmGoForbes28: Little bit of a tutorial in usign tpm to protect a system.  https://www.grounation.org/index.php?post/2008/07/04/8-how-to-use-a-tpm-with-linuxMay 03 14:04
TechrightsBot-trTitle: How to use a TPM with Linux - GrouNation .::. Size~: 91.41 KBMay 03 14:04
oiaohmGoForbes28: TPM is one of those things its who controls it.May 03 14:05
DaemonFCWill_, The only reason .NET is any good is that it's basically swizzled JAVA May 03 14:05
oiaohmGoForbes28: If the owner of the machine controls it .  TPM is good since it can make virus writers live hell.May 03 14:05
DaemonFCthat's why MinceR calls it MS Visual JAVAMay 03 14:05
Will_Although I'll probably skip 11.04.  Primarily because the Nvidia binary drivers don't work at all in 11.04 on some Nvidia cards--like mine.  I probably won't buy an Nvidia card again for a long time, if ever.May 03 14:05
MinceRwait, what? .net is "any good"?May 03 14:06
DaemonFCI never got the need to make several different languages with different syntax that all get turned into CIL and ran by a JIT compiler May 03 14:06
Will_But this just goes to show why closed-source binary drivers are,  hmm, non-optimalMay 03 14:06
MinceRi've found it to be a cesspit full of manureMay 03 14:06
GoForbes28DaemonFC: There already was virtual Java, need a better name :PMay 03 14:06
GoForbes28*Visual JavaMay 03 14:06
DaemonFCAt least JAVA is just one languageMay 03 14:06
MinceRit's surprising that m$ could ruin java so farMay 03 14:06
MinceRactually, java is a virtual machine and a languageMay 03 14:06
MinceR:>May 03 14:06
GoForbes28oiaohm: Unfortunately, the corps want to be the owners of the machinesMay 03 14:07
DaemonFCnot several that are totally different as far as the programmer is concerned but all have the same access to the CLRMay 03 14:07
DaemonFC.NET is a lot more confusing because of thatMay 03 14:07
DaemonFCMinceR, You notice that Mono 2.0 no longer has any way to run J#?May 03 14:07
GoForbes28oiaohm: Are there instructions specifically on how to wipe the TPM?May 03 14:08
DaemonFCMicrosoft has deprecated it, but .NET can still run itMay 03 14:08
GoForbes28oiaohm: Or do the instructions you link to include thatMay 03 14:08
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[opensourceway/@opensourceway] How @CityCamp became an open source brand by @kmcurry | http://red.ht/jvOpmV #gov20 #opengovMay 03 14:08
TechrightsBot-trTitle: How CityCamp became an open source brand | opensource.com .::. Size~: 46.8 KBMay 03 14:08
DaemonFCMicrosoft is why companies never upgrade any of their software May 03 14:08
MinceRDaemonFC: never triedMay 03 14:09
DaemonFCthe backwards compatibility sucks in cases like thisMay 03 14:09
MinceRmy life is blissfully free of c#, .net and mono currentlyMay 03 14:09
DaemonFCwhere they say "Hey, use J# to port all your Java apps over"May 03 14:09
DaemonFCthen they abandon itMay 03 14:09
MinceRand i intend to keep it that way :>May 03 14:09
GoForbes28oiaohm: What is the "owner password"?May 03 14:09
DaemonFCoh great, now you need an old .NET runtime forever, that only runs on Windows XP and VistaMay 03 14:09
MinceRnot on vista sp7?May 03 14:10
DaemonFChope you didn't like, actually use J# B-)May 03 14:10
Will_DaemonFC:  I don't know what to make of MS's recent interest in ARM.  Even if they port Windows, they won't have all the third-party apps and legacy compatibility, which is the only thing keeping Windows going at this point.May 03 14:10
DaemonFCMinceR, Not like it is, no, you have to trick the .NET 1.1 installer into thinking you have Windows XPMay 03 14:10
MinceRWill_: they'll probably include an emulatorMay 03 14:10
GoForbes28Will_: Windows porting is largely a failureMay 03 14:10
DaemonFCthen hoping that it it doesn't have security flaws that Microsoft will never patchMay 03 14:10
DaemonFChooray!May 03 14:10
GoForbes28Windows for powerpc, etc.May 03 14:10
GoForbes28DaemonFC: That's how Microsoft worksMay 03 14:11
oiaohmGoForbes28: There are particular ways included in the spec.  http://linux.die.net/man/3/tspi_tpm_clearownerMay 03 14:11
TechrightsBot-trTitle: tspi_tpm_clearowner(3): clear TPM ownership - Linux man page .::. Size~: 4.36 KBMay 03 14:11
MinceR(which will be unusably slow, of course)May 03 14:11
Will_Mince: emulating x86 on ARM?  Won't that pretty much defeat the purpose of ARM and bring the system to a crawl?May 03 14:11
GoForbes2864-bit Windows is more secure only by the most superficial or reasonsMay 03 14:11
MinceRWill_: does m$ care? :>May 03 14:11
DaemonFCGoForbes28, Not reallyMay 03 14:11
MinceRdo their stupid users care? :>May 03 14:11
GoForbes2864-bit Windows is a true example of security by obscurityMay 03 14:11
DaemonFCthe applications that benefit the most from ASLR and DEP have to opt in if they are 32-bit, web browsers that isMay 03 14:12
DaemonFCFirefox doesn'tMay 03 14:12
GoForbes28since the only security benefits are those provided "naturally" by 64-bit architectureMay 03 14:12
DaemonFCChrome and IE doMay 03 14:12
DaemonFCOpera doesMay 03 14:12
MinceRoiaohm: is there a way to wipe the Endorsement Key?May 03 14:12
GoForbes28Which are more than offset by Windows flaws as you point outMay 03 14:12
DaemonFCGoForbes28, You only benefit from the added security features in 64-bit Windows if you use 64-bit apps, where it is mandatory, or the programs you use that are 32-bit opt-in, or you force them (one by one or globally)May 03 14:13
DaemonFCmost users don't even know what this shit is and just run Firefox as it isMay 03 14:13
DaemonFCMicrosoft trojan horse plug-ins and allMay 03 14:13
DaemonFC:)May 03 14:13
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[glynmoody/@glynmoody] Busting the myths of the Alternative Vote - http://bit.ly/jnj15G a statistician speaks #av #ukMay 03 14:13
TechrightsBot-trTitle: Nic Marks - Busting the myths of the Alternative Vote | the new economics foundation .::. Size~: 35 KBMay 03 14:13
GoForbes28DaemonFC: ExactlyMay 03 14:13
GoForbes28Security through 5-second obscruity, if thatMay 03 14:14
GoForbes28oiaohm: How can the private key be used against the owner?May 03 14:14
DaemonFCthe only reason Firefox and Chrome and Opera aren't attacked more than they are on Windows is because they fix their bugs in a timjely manner and auto update their usersMay 03 14:14


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