Novell and Microsoft's software patent agreement betrays the rest of the Free Software community, including the very people who wrote Novell's own system, for Novell's sole financial benefit. Join Bruce Perens in signing an open letter to Novell's CEO Ron Hovsepian. (traducción al español [Spanish])
Please Add Your Signature. 2221 people have added their signatures to this document.
To Mr. Hovsepian,
The Open Source community would find little to criticize in your agreement with Microsoft, had it remained a strictly financial and technical agreement. As the agreement stands today, it betrays the authors of the software you re-market and their users worldwide for Novell's sole commercial benefit.
The covenant of the GPL is that in the face of a software patent aggressor we must all hang together, lest we each hang separately. Novell accepted that covenant when you chose to include the Linux kernel, the GNU C library, and hundreds of additional works created at no charge to Novell by individuals in the Free Software community and licensed under the GPL.
It is abundantly clear that Novell and Microsoft took the time to engineer a circuitous legal path of issuing covenants to each other's customers, rather than licenses to each other, in order to circumvent Novell's earlier agreement with the community of GPL software developers.
In your defense, you offer that Novell has not acknowledged that Linux infringes upon Microsoft's patents. Let's be truthful about software patents: there can be no non-trivial computer program, either proprietary or Free, that does not use methods that are claimed in software patents currently in force and unlicensed for use in that program. There are simply enough patents, on enough fundamental principles, to make this so. If all software patents were enforced fully, the software industry would grind to a halt.
Of course software patents are less than fully enforced, and what we have is a sort of shake-down racket in which tremendous attorney fees and damages are routinely extorted. Open Source communities and medium-sized enterprises can be legally prevented from participating in the industry simply because they can not afford the price of justice, between three and five Million dollars to defend a case.
Several years ago, attorney Daniel Ravicher, now of the Software Freedom Law Center, reported finding 283 patents with claims that could read on the Linux kernel. That kernel represents only a few percent of the overall collection of software in Novell/SuSE Linux. It is likely that there are many thousands of unlitigated potential infringements within the entire Novell system. Only a minority of those patents are owned by Microsoft, your recent agreement does nothing to defend you from the others. Most troubling are the patents owned by "patent trolls", companies that produce no products other than patents and thus can not be deterred by patent counter-threats from organizations like OIN. Microsoft has invested in at least one explicit "troll" company, which can use its patents offensively as a proxy of Microsoft without exposing Microsoft to counter-suits, anti-trust issues, or Microsoft's agreement with Novell.
In the face of this threat, not only to Free Software but to the small and medium-sized proprietary software companies that make up 80% of the software economy worldwide, Novell chose to act selfishly and take the money. One-third Billion dollars is a strong inducement.
Your open letter to the community mis-represents Novell's software patenting policy. At a Brussels meeting that I attended including EU Member-of-Parliament Arlene McCarthy, Novell's stance was that the company was for enforcible software patenting in the EU but against the particular bill being considered at that time. This stance does not consider that increased enforcement of software patents remains a potential complete show-stopper for Free Software, from Novell or anyone else. You, Mr. Hovsepian, reiterated Novell's support for strong software patent protection on a panel that I chaired at the AlwaysOn conference this summer.
The text of your agreement with Microsoft has not been released, and perhaps not all of it is even on paper. But we know that Microsoft has bought your cooperation. No doubt we will now see Novell at Microsoft's side in political venues, representing Linux, asking legislators for stronger software patent protection that has the potential to harm or even end Open Source. This is unacceptable. If Novell is to benefit from the Free Software community, Novell should be working to make it safe for everyone to write and use software.
There are serious questions regarding how Novell intends to go on with its business. Developers are jumping ship. The very software that you sell is owned by parties who are now hostile to your company. The C library, essential to run every program on your system, is the property of the Free Software Foundation, which will surely relicense that library to LGPL 3. The leading developer of that library is a Red Hat employee. It's already been announced that GPL and LGPL 3 will contain terms that make it untenable to use while your patent agreement with Microsoft stands.
The Samba software and hundreds of other programs will probably go a similar path. The Novell-Microsoft agreement has even had the power to make the Linux kernel developers and the large companies that support them take a fresh look at GPL 3. In the face of these changes, Novell will probably be stuck with old versions of the software, under old licenses, with Novell sustaining the entire cost and burden of maintaining that software. Novell will have to maintain its customers on old versions while the community takes GPL 3 versions of the same software into the future.
In short, now that Novell has chosen not to hang together with the Free Software community, we've chosen not to do so with you.
There is really only one path out of this corner for Novell. Go on with your technical collaboration, and keep the money. But Novell must now direct Microsoft to refrain from granting covenants to Novell's users unless they will apply to everyone equally. Hang together with the Free Software community by changing your software patent stance from one of monopoly rights for Novell to one of support for legislation that will make it safe for all of us to create, distribute, and use software.
Bruce Perens, creator of Electric Fence and Busybox, two programs that are important to Novell Linux and are covered by the GPL.
Note from Ralph Warren Siegler: As a long time systems architect, engineer, developer and administrator involved with Novell products since Netware 286 and also as one who has implemented and used SuSE solutions since 2002, I am very disappointed in Novell for putting the wondrous technical and social achievement that is GNU/Linux in danger.
Note from Michael T Hasse: We are a Novell authorised reseller. Our immediate responses upon hearing of this deal were, "Novell's legal team should be fired", and, "we can no longer recommend Novell products". On a personal note, I have been a Novell proponent since Netware v2.15 but this is the end of the line for me. Sincerely, Michael Hasse
Note from jay mason: Both Microsoft and Novell are ultimately applying a "kill switch" to ingenuity.
Note from D. Hensley: A company, much like a program, is often best judged by it's error correction routines. Now would be a very good time to review your error correction methods - it will show the worth, or the lack thereof, of Novell/SUSE - and without the slightest doubt determine the future viability of Novell.
Note from Robert Dionne: As a daily user of emacs for over 20 years, it's hard to quantify how much I've benefited from the free software and open source software communities, both intellectually and financially. I stand with the gnus and the penguins.
Note from Roy Schestowitz: Help SuSE survive the wrath of naive shareholders.
Note from Pieter Hintjens: People who do deals with Microsoft rarely live long enough to regret it.
Note from Arnim Rupp: In 2003 I wondered if it is a good thing that Novell bought Suse. Now I know it wasn't, the old Suse-Management would never have agreed to such a pact.
Note from Fred Grott: You, Novell, have guaranteed that I will never will go back on my choice of Debian Linux/GNU for SUSE. I will never use Novell products again for any reason.
Note from Jeffrey Rollin: I couldn't have said it better than Pieter Hintjens and Arnim Rupp, who (just to reiterate the point, and in reverse order): In 2003 I wondered if it is a good thing that Novell bought Suse. Now I know it wasn't, the old Suse-Management would never have agreed to such a pact... People who do deals with Microsoft rarely live long enough to regret it.
Note from Jeffrey Vernon Merkey: Since I have a covenant not to sue with novell in a settlement agreement, I already have a patent crosslicense from Novell (and MS for that matter) and am immune to claims from either of them on patents with open source projects I sponsor, however, I disagree with Novell's dishonest stance in this matter, and Novell should walk away from Linux and promote NetWare if that's your choice. If Novell wants to sleep with Microsoft, be honest about it. Don't perfume the pig with false and misleading statements to the open source community. The Microsoft deal is a good thing for Novell, but long term Novell needs to focus on its own unique direction given this agreement and the opporutnities it represents. I also find it prescient that Novell would execute the very agreement it sued me for 10 years ago with Microsoft when it really could have helped Novell sustain its market share. I have to say this is the biggest hipocrasy I have ever seen. You cannot have it both ways, Novell. Either embrance MS and move forward or get out of Linux. You cannot co-opt Linux into Ballmers 2007 objectives of "kill off Linux" by using the very technology and momentum created by the Linux movement to bouy up Novell's lack of direction and leadership.
Note from Nick Warne: Totally agree.
Note from Grant Johnson: I have been a software developer all of my life. For many years I used SuSE Linux as my primary operating system. I was concerned when they were purchased by Novell. Now I see that my fears were not unfounded. My sincere hope is that Novell was really trying for an interoperability cooperation, and that this current mess is simply because their lawyers were unaware of the workings of the FLOSS community. If this is the case, let us hope that they quickly right the wrong they have committed. Let us all hope for ignorance over malice.
Note from anshuman gholap: This is sco all over again, What sco could not do for all this years and for which IBM,and other went against SCO, Novell has turned tables over and given MS green signal to do it. Common people dont be fool. signup this petition and Novells agreement with MS should be scrapped as soon as possible so we cant go back to normalcy. Anshu. Hostingzoom.com
Note from Stephen Kerr: I have been involved with novell products since intranetware 4.11 and have been been a suse user since 9.0. The very evening I read about novell collecting their 30 pieces of silver, I removed suse 10.0 from my servers and replaced it with fedora. I will not support a company who demonstrates such a high disregard for ethics.
Note from J.L.Francois: -Linux Counter Registered User #8863 1994-12-13 06:39:24
Note from Hal Brodigan: Microsoft is neither our emperor, nor do they have clothes. I shall not bow to their IP tactics.
Note from William J Weber: I find that the Novell-Microsoft aggreement is if anything a dangerous gambit. It stands as a monumental block to the FSF.
Note from Andre Raymond: Microsoft, is a monopoly, it wants to make money off everything. There was and is no need for this Microsoft-Novell Patent agreement, it's not welcomed at all by us in the open source community.
Note from Troels Just: Mr. Hovsepian, either you're with us or against us! We all have to make big choices in life, now you must choose.
Note from Theodore Root: It is of the utmost importance to me and to my company that a platform exists where we can freely develop software without being forced to pay the Microsoft tax simply for the right to develop and run said software. For years Linux has provided such a haven. Please do not take a short-sighted view on what this agreement means for your company and this community.
Note from Matt Killock: This is another example of an agreement that would require the public to make sacrifices in the pursuit of a public benefit that can and should be produced in the total absence of such sacrifices.
Note from Christopher Turkel: I use GNU and Open Source tools everyday and the Novell/Microsoft deal is an affront to everything I love about software.
Note from David Ballesteros: I have used SuSE Gnu/Linux since version 5.2, it seemed a solid choice to escape microsoft Lock-In and was ready to seriously recommend it to my employer to replace windows with SuSE. Unfortunately, due to Novell's involvement in this maneouver devised by microsoft to undermine software freedom and against the GPL, and the community of users and developers, I cannot recommend it anymore. Hope Novell wisely reconsiders and steers clear of this trap before its too late for them.
Note from Jeff Feige: All I can say is that I'm glad I still use Slackware... :-D Truthfully though, when Novell started their big SLED/SLES 10 push, we (my colleagues and I) discussed how Novell could single-handedly give massive credibility, or seriously hinder, Linux on the desktop. Unfortunately, it looks like they are assisting in the latter.
Note from John M. Bray: I am deeply disappointed with this blatant attempt to get around both the spirit of open source software, and with the letter of the GPL.
Note from ashokpai: i've been a suse user since a couple of years now. it was a good distro, and it continues to be one, unfortunately, the covenants and a needless agreement have a left a bad taste, and despite not wanting to ditch opensuse, i am now forced to look at mandriva or kubuntu. mt hearfelt gratitude and multitude of thanks to the valuable work done by suse & ximian community , and the scores of developers who have worked hard to create the opensuse, one of the best i've used till date. thank you. ...and for those in the management, its sad that you deal with chair throwing 800 pound gorillas for cushy deals, rather than supporting the community!
Note from James Boothe: Good job Novell. You've managed to alienate an entire community that develops the software you sell to make a profit, so that you can make one big quick score from Microsoft. Further in your "open letter to the community" you further insult everyone's intelligence with your "we only did it for your own good" double speak. You've done a fantastic job putting the nail in SUSE's coffin, you'd better hope those Netware sales pick up.
Note from Amir Rehman: It seems like Novell is going to lose a lot of users. There may be more corporate users coming in the future which is certainly a good thing for Novell, but the community is obviously turning its back agains Novell. I am using Ubuntu on my main computer and I used to have Suse on my second computer for testing and getting more experience with another big distro. However this act by Novell/Microsoft made me remove Suse from my computer straight away when I read about their betrayal of the community. It´s sad to see how this distribution is slowly destroying itself. First, the distro became slower and slower by adding in more and more features not everyone needs anyway and just create a bloated system like MS Windows and now they are even making friendships with the "enemy". I know there is a lot of money involved but Novell had a choice. They did the wrong one which they will learn to regret sooner or later. I hope this won´t effect other distros and I am just happy that in the open source/linux world there is a really big choice of distro one may choose. Novell used to be top, now they are one to leave behind... Amir Rehman
Note from Michael Anckaert: At this moment I can only regret the purchase of SuSe by Novell and be happy that I did not waste money nor time on getting certified for Novell products.
Note from Jordan Lane Peacock: Thank you for putting out a well-rounded, supported Linux product. Please don't miss the forest for the trees on this patent issue; it's ludicrous and threatens many of the most dear aspects of this community. In the meanwhile, I will use Debian, Ubuntu, or other distributions and will not recommend Novell until this imbalance is corrected.
Note from Gorden Jemwa: Mr. Hovsepian, the community is anxiously hoping you and Novell regain your senses and do what is right. Burning the very bridges you walk on is BAD enough without having to rope in Ballmer Inc.
Note from Eric Herget: Up until this Patent Agreement fiasco, I have strongly favored SuSE Linux over all others. I'll be installing different distros on my systems this weekend (yeah, Happy Thanksgiving to me from Novell). I'll also explicitly state that technology decisions at the company I work for should avoid Novell products, including SuSE Linux. This is not out of spite or revenge, mind you, just the "big picture perspective" that any activity or effort that supports Novell also negatively impacts the long term benefits of Free Software.
Note from K Cartlidge: Whether you, Novell, believe the community is right or wrong to take offense at your pact with the devil the fact remains that it's opinion must be respected and it's stance against your actions considered carefully. You have no product without the community's labours and should they be with-held by GPL3 you will be left with the choice of either tagging along at Microsoft's heels or retiring to a corner to count your 30 pieces of silver. I hope your actions were well-meaning (time will tell); if not then it may be goodbye to Suse.
Note from Ben Sparks: Novell was foolish to think that Microsoft would sign an agreement that would strengthen any aspect of the GNU/Linux community. Our community is now in a worse position because of this deal.
Note from Gianotti Alessandro: Open Source can't married with the hell's empire, in never case.
Note from Lonnie Mask: I have used SUSE for years, as I found it better than the other versions I had tried. I bought the newest versions just so that I could support the development of SUSE. I recently even installed it on my wife's machine. Now I will be evaluating a new distribution. Even if the software is free sometimes you have to vote with your wallet.
Note from Kevin Williams: I am compelled to wonder what solace Novell will find in its trophy room when they have no customers left. I am not, and have never been, a SuSE Linux user -- but in light of Novell's recent behaviour, I couldn't be bribed into using their products (let alone consider the laughable proposition of paying them for the privilege).
Note from Willem Dijkstra: For now a happy Ubuntu server/desktop admin.
Note from Gil Dror: M$ - the source of all evil
Note from jnautics: Do the right thing or remove all open source software from the Novell offerings.
Note from David Pastern: This mess is why GPL v3 should be critically used throughout the OSS development arena. Novell - you do NOT own GNU/Linux, the community does. You are a member of that community because we allow you to be. Nothing more, and nothing less. Remember that.
Note from Dr. Alain Picard: Free Software is about community, not legalistic fineries. Even if Novell rules the day in court, it will have lost that intangible, but most important, asset: the good will of the community.
Note from Michael Valentine: Past dealings with MS should have been a warning!
Note from Robby Pedrica: I've been providing FOSS services for many years and have actively pushed SLES for customers who require commercially supported solutions ( Slackware for everyone else ). Without any prompting, I've been asked to provide alternate solutions in 2 instances within the last week alone and I'll be giving Red Hat the business. If non-technical customers can see the demerit in what Novell have done, then I have no doubt they ( Novell ) will fail in this endeavour with Microsoft. There was no requirement for Novell to look to protect themselves from Microsoft - everyone would've been for them had they need to defend against a Microsoft offense against FOSS. If Microsoft were truly interested in interoperability, they would be sitting down at the table with Samba, ODF and others.
Note from Diwaker Gupta: I don't know how I'd survive without open source software. Its disappointing (no, disgusting) to see Novell succumb to M$ like this and jeopardize the rest of the F/L-OSS movement.
Note from Nuno Luis de Castro Gonçalves: You will regret this decicion. Your agreement will backfire and Novell will loose market share outside the United States, because you are making an enemy of your potential customer. Back off now, and win back the heart of the comunity... If you don't i'll be forced to discard Suse as an option in my professional activity.
Note from H. Kursat Kosten: Dear Novell, why ally with a corporation whose only aim is killing Linux? How could one benefit from such a partnership? I am starting to cease every solution about SuSE Linux and Novell products immediately.
Note from Doug Kidd: Novell, IMHO you just went from hero to zero.
Note from John Andrus: I am a loyal user of OpenSUSE, and since this deal that you(Novell) have participated in with Microsoft, I am switching distros to another one that isn't in bed with a known patent troll. Let the record say that I won't support anything Novell, when Novell has made ANY deal with Microsoft.
Note from Raphael J. Schmid: This is a shame really. SLES, especially the recent versions are a pretty good product. I won't be able to recommend them to anymore until this has been resolved. Trusting in your ability as a company to doing so.
Note from Stephan Loeffler: I firmly disagree with the Micro$oft-Novell patent.
Note from R. Hart: I actually encouraged users to try you software and have bought copies of Suse myself. No more, I'm done with Suse.
Note from Michael Klein: I was a huge fan of Suse and then openSuse for years, but now I've decided not to support your company. With this agreement, you have turned your back on the rest of the Linux community by deciding to stop giving back to it. This is visible in the form of Mono, which now has more of a patent shadow over it then ever before, and so is unusable by the rest of the community, and in the form of the closed-source endeavors that you have chosen to pursue with Microsoft in the future, instead of attempting to build open-source interoperability solutions that would benefit the rest of the Linux community. It seems you are attempting to hijack products such as OpenOffice and Samba, which were mostly developed outside of your company, by creating closed-source extensions to them so that your versions will be the only viable ones in the future. This is quite simply counter to the entire spirit and point of free software, however legally you may be able to sneak around the GPL to do it. OSS is supposed to be about working as a team, and instead you have decided to turn your back on the very community that made your distribution possible. To top it off, as if your mixed-source (read: lock-in) fantasies weren't enough, you are helping Microsoft spread FUD about Linux's patent liabilities, you are supporting the innovation-stifling concept of software patents, and you are helping to propogate a potential MS patent trap--Mono (which this agreement has now proven to be unsafe). I used to be a true believer in and lover of the Suse/openSuse distro, and I am very disheartened to have to leave it behind. However, I cannot allow myself to support such unethical behavior as yours, which threatens to tear the Linux community apart (and in fact has already done so to a very large extent).
Note from Danny Crane: Sounds like Novell made a deal with the devil to me. I don't like it.
Note from Dan Collis-Puro: I've used Novell products since Netware 3.x. I won't again. This bridge has been burned.
Note from Nico Willemsen: I wonder what the guys at Novell were thinking when signing this agreement? Surely they had to know what a funny crowd we FOSS users are and that we would never accept anything like this. Did you truly not know that we will defend FOSS with all we've got?
Note from Chris Ruschmann: Your Actions with Microsoft make me not want to integrate your products into our Clients portfolio!
Note from George Oldham: You've killed SuSE - what more to say except that the desktops I was about to put Novell Linux up for will now go to Canonical Ubuntu.
Note from Bill McGonigle: It's amazing how Novell has spent years building good will with the Open Source community, got major Linux advocates using SuSE as a matter of pride, and then just smashed it all in one fell swoop with a deal that has never ended well for any company in a similar position. One wonders why Novell thinks it is smarter than everybody else.
Note from Shaun Marolf: I am sad to say that I can no longer include SuSE as part of my arsenal to build networks. I cannot in good conscious use your products when you have so clearly abandoned the very principles SuSE Linux was built on. Oddly enough I am looking for Microsoft to make their first Patent Lawsuit against linux. I promise that everyone who has a stake in Linux will swoop down upon it and bury Microsoft in litigation. In a sense you did us a favor because this issue will now be decided in a court where we can challenge the software patent law and get it thrown out.
Note from Jordi Ferrando: There is more that just software in dispute now. It is our freedom. As a 36 year-old programmer, 20 years active, suffering so much about closed systems, in particular Microsoft products, the time has come to make a choice: you choose red, you already know the story. Choose blue, the future can be of mankind, not only of companies that try to slave us with chains.
Note from Enrico Biondini: I never used Novell/Suse Linux... I will never use Novell/Suse Linux!
Note from David Mohring: In early 1993, AT&T sold it's UNIX System Laboratories to Novell. Back in April 25, 1994, PC Magazine had an article announcing that Novell Inc was developing a Linux based desktop system for Windows, DOS, NetWare, and Unix applications ( http://groups.google.com/groups?threadm=1994Apr25.151605.293@umr.edu ). After long negotiations with Microsoft, Novell abandoned the "Expose" Linux desktop project. A month later, a group of Novell alumni from the Expose project formed Caldera Systems International with the backing of Novell's founder, Ray Noorda. The Canopy Group, which purchased major holding in Caldera, was also founded by Ray Noorda. In 1995 Novell sub-licensed the remainder of it's Unix technology to the Santa Cruz Operation Inc ( No relation to the SCO Group ). In November 2001, the Santa Cruz Operation sold it's Unix rights under Novell's license agreement to Caldera. In 2003 Caldera Systems International changed it's name to "The SCO GROUP Inc" and entered into a series of essentially inherently flawed lawsuits and fraudulent license claims against users of the Linux operating system based upon rights to the original Unix that have turned out to be still owned by Novell itself. Both IBM and Novell lawyers have repeatedly pointed out to the SCO GROUP that it loses the right to continue to distribute GPL licensed code if it violates the terms of the GPL. Also SCO Group long legal travesty would not have been possible without the direct and indirect financial support from Microsoft. In November 2003, nine years after it had abandoned Linux, Novell purchased one of the leading Linux distributions SUSE. Now three years later in 2006, after a long period of Negoitation Novell has entered into another agreement with Microsoft. This agreement results in Microsoft sales people effectively acting as agents on behalf of Novell by selling "coupons" for SUSE Linux and hyping a limited "promise" from Microsoft not to sue the customer for the so called Microsoft IP included in Linux, Samba, Mono and OpenOffice.org. Any agent acting on behalf of Novell offering a limited coverage "not to sue" represents a clear violation of section seven of the GPL by Novell. As Novell's laywers have repeated pointed out to The SCO Group, you lose right to continue to distribute GPL licensed code if you violate the terms of the GPL. History shows us that the combination of Microsoft and Novell has never been in the long term interests of either Linux or Novell. So to Ron Hovsepian, I say : Please, do not take almost another decade to realise your companies long term interests remain with Linux, open source and continued compliance with its licensing terms. Now is no time for appeasement http://itheresies.blogspot.com/2004_03_01_itheresies_archive.html
Note from Vasileios Anagnostopoulos: You do not need MS mr Novell. I bough SUSE and I had plans to deploy the new version. Now, I will go with OpenSolaris and NetBSD. Do something, you have a great product and give it for free to the satanic MS. Stop now, and push KDE again.
Note from Alexander Lindqvist: Hats off to RedHat and the Truth Happens initiative...
Note from Radu-Cristian Fotescu: I never thought that the most horrendous business deal since Judas' one will be made in the software industry -- and related to Linux! You don't even deserve the increased publicity that your actions provide you. May your business reast in peace -- what a pity you had to buy SuSE, which was a good distro.
Note from Frank J. Cameron: I too am very disappointed by the patent provisions of Novell's agreement. I have long been a supporter, advocate, and customer of Novell's products; but, until this agreement is repudiated I can not in good conscience continue to recommend Novell's solutions.
Note from Kaneri Warren: Novell have committed treason against the Gnu/Linux community and as a result will surely hang. Novell software is being dropped by everyone concerned about Free Software and even if this doesn't kill Novell, Microsoft will. They have done this before. Novell are not strong enough to withstand Microsoft's coercive and absorptive policies alone. This is the end for Novell and sadly will be the end of Suse also.
Note from Mike Harris: Please reconsider this decision. More than your bank account is at stake. A whole industry depends on open source. "PCLinuxOS" Because We Know Where We Are Going Today And Tomorrow
Note from Lincoln Reid: I have been responsible for the decision to use both opensuse and suse enterprise edition for various customers in the past. We were using Redhat prior to the discontinuation of Redhat Linux, and now as a result of this deal we will be moving to different Linux distribution. It is frustrating that a commercial Linux vendor could do something so de-stabilising to the Linux market. I expect that we will choose a more community centered distribution this time round to avoid another random move by a commercial distributor.
Note from Marcus Coles: Enjoy your last good quarter. Was it worth it?
Note from James A. Moore: Novell makes Judas Iscariot look like one of the good guys.
Note from Ryan Fischer: Microsoft lawyers + Novell lawyers = hatched scheme to proprietary OSS and foster fear. Well, we need some GPL defence funds because, guaranteed, Novell and Microsoft will be in breach of it over and over. Remember people, ANYTHING GPL has to be re-released after it has been altered!
Note from Mark Edwards: Mr Hovsepian, Thank you for helping me decide between SUSE & Fedora now that SUSE's future doesn't look too impressive with the GPL & LGPL 3 licences just around the corner.
Note from Beaudoin Gael: You can't fool anyone with this agreement. Please reconsider!
Note from andy jewell: Epitaph: Here lies Novell. They didn't buy what they thought they bought.
Note from Gabriel Finch: Novell, you have lost support from the entire Free Software community. I hope you are satisfied with what you have done.
Note from Mike Ward: M$ + N$ Watch the money trail. N$ doesn't get what M$ can't make.
Note from Chris Fernandez: Free Software is not something we have created for people to do business with or for companies to use take advantage of it in other ways than the GPL and other GPL compatible licenses will already say so. I think more than ever we need GPLv3, stop Novell from screwing with what we have worked for many years. Free as in Freedom.
Note from Ben Adams: And in this situation I doubt you have much say but what the mighty Vole allows you to say. We all can see how sad is when Mr. Ballmer allows you to publicly "disagree" with his statements, many of us can see Novell is now just a Redmondian puppet. It is SO SAD indeed. R.I.P. Novell, Suse. Ben Adams
Note from Pandu Rao: I am very disappointed with Novell's decision to enter into the Patent Agreement with Microsoft. Most importantly you did not seek input from the community/FSF before embarking on this misadventure. I urge you to abide by this petition. If not, I will refrain from using or working with Novell's products and recommend that my clients do so as well.
Note from Julian Stoev: The position of Novell is really disapointing, but it is more important to think how such situations can be prevented in the future. It is clear that accepting GPL v3 is urgent in this situation. Software patents craziness must not be permitted in the free software world.
Note from Conrad Mazian: This action was and is a disgusting breach of trust by Novell. It was however the sort of tactic we've all come to know and expect from Microsoft.
Note from Atanu Datta: Sucks that u guys bought SUSE!
Note from Boris Devouge: Novell, you just shoot your own foot.
Note from Budhi Setiawan: Ampun deh, Gue ngga akan nyetuh lagi si SUSE
Note from H: I feel Novell has stabbed the FSF community in the back. You should know better than to bite the hand that feeds you. All rhetoric aside, I am not really surprised at this move from the people who are also pushing Mono. Novell has always been a devicive force at least for the Linux community. I have taken off all Novell tech from my computers.
Note from Tony Harbour: Oh what have you done.I was free of the redmond curse and now by your selfish actions the very platform that has allowed myself and others like me the freedom from being beholden to a monopolistic evil corporation is in my opinion been put in such a position that the very survival of opensource is threatened.All for a few bucks.What were you thinking?!I am not a corporate it professional I am just a every day linux user who now finds microsoft in my life again.This is unacceptable.You must reconsider your actions.How could you do this?.
Note from Ramon Barrios Lascar: I've been a Linux/Unix user since 1993. Since 1998 I've been a IT instructor and consultant. Every week, I'm teaching advanced Unix/Linux technologies, and implementing IBM Power/SLES solutions, and my advice guides five (5) network/system/database administrators a week in average. Every time I told people to choose SLES over anything else. Now I will not reccomend Novell/SuSE solution to anyone, in fact I strongly reccomend *against*, until Novell respect the GPL contract with the developer community that made possible the very products they are selling. Time will show Novell was wrong, but the community will survive, but without you Novell.
Note from Erick Gunter: Been with you a long time . . . a robust stable distribution with all the bells and whistles that I liked, including having nothing remotely connected to Micro$oft. Why turn your back on the very community that makes you strong? What is worse than the rape of your customers? Betrayal!
Note from Dennis Kibbe: If there was any doubt that the time is right for GPLv3, The Novell/Micro$oft deal proves it.
Note from Nitish Padgaonkar: Novell was such a tremendous company. Too bad it'll be seen as the company that died out through Microsoft's clever trickery. You're essentially the leader of a company that resembles the Benedict Arnold of the 21st century. Even if you join back, I'll make sure never to endorse your stupid corporation.
Note from Jan Allen: Novell has drunk from the poisoned chalice. Now it's merely a question of how soon the company dies. Window Activation is a pernicious imposition, WGA is an insult and the new Vista EULA is a trojan lying in wait for the unsuspecting user. i'm glad i migrated to PCLinuxOS.
Note from Ron House: I believe you have so wrecked Novell's credibility and popularity that only (a) a complete reversal of the patent pledge, (b) your dismissal, and (c) a full apology from the board, can have any hope of rescuing Novell as a viable business. That umpteen 100 mil had better go a long way, because from this day forward, the entire community that created the product you have based your business upon will ensure you have to make do with an increasingly ageing legacy version. And even that is probably illegal for you now.
Note from Syed E. Karim: Shame.
Note from Jamie Burke: Ramsinks.com Cpugold.com
Note from Mike Wheeler: How can you even begin to think this is a good thing?
Note from Robert DiNicolas: I am a linux network admin. I've converted my company of 20 employees to linux desktop. The reason was because microsoft solutions caused technology lock-ins that I was not comfortable with. Additionally, linux offered us a much more cost effective path on the desktop and server end of our business. Your agreement with microsoft completely defeats the purpose of OSS. I, as do may others, look at your recent actions as selling out at the cost of your customers. In addition, your actions are very likely to be a violation of the GPL. Novell, the OSS community does not need nor want your participation anymore. Good luck making an income from anyone other than MS.
Note from Brian May: I'm a linux user of old and it was with great disappointment that Novell has chosen to pursue a path that will conflict with the GPL and future version of GPL. I am a consultant and have been recommending SuSE to clients for some time. Its with sadness that I have current plans to transition SuSE to Ubuntu or similar open source distribution. My own systems are just about free of SuSE and until such a time as Novell fixes this situation Novell will remain off my recommendation of Linux distributions. Please consider the amount of damange that this will cause this great distribution.
Note from Robert G. Kowalski: This whole deal freaked me out, when I first heard about it I actually didn't believe it. Microsoft doesn't want to help the Linux community, they want to destroy it so they can make money and be the monopoly. They hate the GNU and free software in general, it gives people a choice not to just use what they have. I do understand the money sounds good, but you are hurting everyone in doing this. You will not benefit, they will just screw you over and take it all for them. There is a reason why they sell Microsoft Office Pro for over a 100 and Open Office is free. Please rethink this, I don't want to have to switch distributions!
Note from Jason Iapicco: I used to have Open-SuSE 10.1 on my desktop at home. But that has changed since the agreement with Microsoft.
Note from Stephen Cormier: I must say this move by Novell has left me totally disgusted I will never use, recommend or support another Novell/Suse product.
Note from Neil Cherry: It would nice to believe that Microsoft would like to play nice with the Open Source Community but history paints a grim picture. To make matters worse is Steve Balmer's most recent comments towards the Linux community. It's obvious that Microsoft has no intention of co-operation but rather spreading FUD and using bully tatics.
Note from Dillon Martine: First and formost in the long run Novell is going to only be hurting themselves. As it is already happeninng, people are switching to Other distrubtions. Frankly, I don't blame them. There are plenty of Distrubtions out there that compare or surpass Suse. From my personal stand point Novell has removed themselves in the linux race. Who wants to deal with MS whe most of us moved to linux to escape it. So I would just like to say congrats on cutting your user quota drastically.
Note from James Calvin Williams: Very foolish move, Novell folks: You will find that the taste of money when spread over honor and trust is quite bitter -- and very poisonous. Happy Thanksgiving.
Note from Mattthew Beason: After all that we've learned through the SCO saga to date, how could you make this "covenant" in good conscious Novell? I've been a big proponent of SuSE in the enterprise to this point. You can be certain that as long as this "covenant" stands, I'll look to other distributions in the Linux environment to fill that role. Shame on you Novell.
Note from James Alcock: I used to suggest Suse to all new users who ask me about Linux. Now I am learning and suggesting Ubuntu. Began Novell 5.5, Ended with Suse Linux Enterprise 10, Rest In Peace.
Note from Stefan Trusewych: As an open source advocate I am greatly dissappointed at the tarnishing of the open source community with this short-sighted deal with Microsoft
Note from Michael L. Richardson: I no longer use SuSE.
Note from Harold Primm: I'm speechless, really.
Note from Nathan Bargmann: Since you cannot back out of this agreement with Microsoft, as they won't allow it, I will spend the rest of my days working for both of your companies demise. May your future be a slow and agonizing descent into financial ruin and irrelevance. May your chains of slavery in service to Microsoft not rest lightly upon you. You have sold out your goodwill in the Free Software Community and you have chosen this path on your own as in the weeks since the announcement, no one from any Free Software organization has come forward to say that you consulted them on this "deal". Since you saw fit to cut the Community out of your decision making process, you will not be disappointed to learn that we have cut you out of the Community. Mr. Hovsepian, the buck stops with you and the Community is now holding you responsible for whatever happens next. Perhaps you discount us as an unruly mob on the Internet. The fact is that many of our number are IT professionals with enormous influence on the technologies used by their organizations. You may now well have the dubious distinction of being the fastest discontinued technology supplier in IT. How does that feel? Software is an idea, an expression, and as such should not be patentable. You have sold out my freedom to use my computer as I see fit without compensating me or the rest of the Community for the loss. No one should be able to deny another of freedom without Due Process. Thanks for nothing.
Note from Randy Panis: Fedora and Ubuntu Administrator
Note from James M. Susanka: I have been using Novell's products since Novell Netware 3.x and have kept my CNE current up to Netware version 6.5 (was thinking about becoming suse linux certified) and have been using SuSE linux since version 6.x and I have to say I am very very disappointed in this agreement. I have taken SuSE linux off of all my machines and installed another distibution of Linux and have removed all of the mono libraries and applications from that distribution. I will be staying away from any of Novell's and Microsoft's IP from now on. I wish you and your company the best of luck but I cannot and will not recommend your product anymore.
Note from Colin J Bean: As a new arrival on the OSS scene, I have begun to use Ubuntu. At my job site, we have been using Novell Netware servers since I was 10 years old. I am now 18. This will be the end of the line for our school using Novell, as you have decided to sell out the OSS community in favor of money and big buisness.
Note from Andrew Wasson: As it seems according to recent statements by Microsoft and Novell that there is not a clear meeting of the minds this agreement should be discarded. Rather than spur innovation and open adoption of heterogeneous architectures, it has become a point to segue for some at Microsoft and use to smear the hard work and dedication that others have put into the Linux operating system.
Note from Nicholas Pan: This is absurd. This is an self-fish act that Novell pulled. I sore oath to never support retail software, and this is pushing the limit. I have recently switched from Windows to Linux, and OpenSuse was the first distro I have used. Shortly, I read that OpenSUSE was owned by Novell and I remember that name as a well-respected company. Now, they're self-fish as hell, and because of this, I have switched to Ubuntu and burned all my SUSE cd's. To hell with Novell, how could they back stab the Open-Source community that SUSE it is built upon?! This is like saying, a hockey team wins the cup and the coach is like, "Haha, I've done it. Now i'm rich, i'm going to fire you all, and move this team down south." Novell is doomed. Microsoft is evil.
Note from Chuck R. Bell: In your November 20, 2006 'Open Letter To the Community' you state: "...we wish to be extremely clear that Novell is committed to protecting, preserving and promoting freedom for free and open source software." Prove it.
Note from Charles Laird: Stay off our Lawn Microsoft.
Note from Adam Kosmin: If nothing else, this proves that Novell has never understood, nor been a member of, the Free Software Community.
Note from Rick Nicholas: It is sad to see what Novell's current management is willing to do to make a buck, sadder still that Novell is trashing Suse's reputation along with their own.
Note from Aaron Rainer: I tore up my Novell certification last night. Kiss my white ass Novell.
Note from mike hanratty: I have worked with Novell products since Netware 3. Unless Novell undoes this incredibly selfish and stupid act of working with a company whose tacit business plan is to destroy any opposition, they have lost my support forever.
Note from William Chapman: Yet Another Sco-type Traitor?
Note from Marc Perkel: jfyi... as a result of these actions I'm abandoning suse for fedora - which is unfortunate, but I will sleep better.
Note from Adam J. Zaimes: I use Linux, Mac's and Windows daily as part of my job. Making such a deal was a direct slap in the face to all the open source developers. I formerly used SUSE and now use Debian. I will no longer make recommendations to my clients to use Novell, for those that want enterprise support I will send them to Red Hat.
Note from Frederic Tessier: I have started to use SuSE since the days of 6.4 went up until 10.0. I also started to get worries when SuSE gmbh had been bought by Novell, but at first everything seems good, but it didnt take too long then I start to see high profile member of SuSE leaving. And now this has happen, I am very disapointed as SuSE use to be my favorite Linux distro for so long time, but now it make me feel pain to use it. Since now I am encouraging a disciple of the devil 8-(. And remember once you make a deal with the devil they are never to have good thing happen just pain suffering and misery and ultimately death.
Note from Lawrence Bell: I am new to Linux,I joined the free community because of MS monopoly and bullying tactics.To me Novell is as dead as MS.I would never buy or support a Novell product.Long live UBUNTU and CANONICAL.
Note from Nicholas Petreley: I urge everyone to purge their systems of anything related to Novell/SUSE. I also urge all FOSS developers to refuse to adopt anything contributed by Novell (such as the VBA compatibility code in OpenOffice.org). Now that Novell has a virtual license to adopt Microsoft intellectual property without risk to its customers, it is a reasonable fear to assume that everything Novell produces or contributes is potentially tainted with Microsoft intellectual property. This perpetuates a substantial risk to all but Novell customers for the next five years, and may pose a substantial risk to all current FOSS adoption once this current agreement expires. Novell must either reverse its agreement or provide some other acceptable remedy before its products and/or contributions will be anything less than suspect.
Note from Mike VanLare: This is a the ultimate disgrace to customers and the open source community. I use PCLinuxOS and now, thanks to this, I will not be considering Suse in any future decisions about choosing a distro. Thanks Novell for backstabbing your customers and community. If this deal goes through and Linux dies, you will be the sole place of blame, period. http://snartz.wordpress.com
Note from James Savik: How much is the price of a soul these days?
Note from Wayne Hufford: After this deal, there's no chance that I will ever be using any of the software that Novell creates. I already use and really like PCLinuxOS, so the chances of me going to SuSE were slim anyway, but I won't be looking at a program like Evolution anymore.
Note from dusan maletic: As a result of this agreement which I find detremental I will actively discourage the use of the Novell software in our institution. This agreement injures Open Source Community in many ways, some of which we even can't predict at the moment. Only the MS has clear advantage from it, mainly through the newly acquired ability to steal results of the Open Source efforts with an impunity and to continue its long standing efforts to control/dominate document formats. I see monetary benefit to Novell as a temporary effect only while I am sure that any real lawsuit challenge by MS to any Open Source content (if such even could be made) would be so easily corrected through the existing Open Source mechanisms that protecting against it is of no consequence. Finally, spread of the Open Source would alone force MS to make their software work well in the mixed OS environment, in my opinion even more than this agreement.
Note from Bryan Law: Novell, you must understand that in the end, what is free and open to the public will always succeed in the end. Anyone who tries to suppress such things have historically always been toppled, and left with nothing in the end. Please Novell, help to strengthen the free software community, instead of using petty patent weapons against it. The community has supported you for years, don't turn your back on it now!
Note from Christopher Rey P. Baluyut: Open Source is the Future
Note from William Havington: Its sad. (PCLinuxOS works great)
Note from Christer Edwards: I have long considered openSuSE / SLED a viable option for home or office use. At this point I will no longer advocate or support its use. Novell has turned its back on the community that made its product and will steadily go downhill from here. All of the key pieces of openSuSE / SLED will change their license terms making it a violation for Novell to use. Novell will no longer have a Linux product to market. Remember Novell, you did not develop or own this product. It belongs to the community. Love live Ubuntu.
Note from Igor Stelmashenko: I think there is an opportunity for Novell to correct the error and be a part of the IT future or learn the same shameful and expensive lesson SCO did.
Note from Ralph Hokanson: The devil went down to novel looking for a soul to steal
Note from Per Thomsen: Seems that Novell was seduced by the dark side.
Note from Jerry Davis: Novell, you should know better than to make a deal with the devil. MS is an avowed enemy of open source. It started with Bill Gate's open letter to a Computer User Group many long years ago. It has gotten worse over the years. Any fool knows that the SCO Lawsuit was financed and proxied by MS. The ONLY reason that MS hasn't brought forth a lawsuit itself, is that it might not look good as a monopoly to do so. By making this deal, you have now alienated the entire Open Source community. However, I suppose we should thank you and the devil for doing this. It has now galvanized the community to look very closely at GPL3 to make sure that you and the devil don't put a wedge in FOSS.
Note from Ryan Bowden: Novell! You should know better than to make a deal with micro$oft!!!!!!!!!
Note from Dean Powell: Thanks for nothing, Novell
Note from Jonathan Conerly: I can never use a Novell product again, nor can my company.
Note from Robert Bauer: An appalled former Suse user! How could they ever do such a thing as sign an agreement with the likes of m$ and turn their back on the rest of us.
Note from M.L. de Ruyter: As a Linux end user I thought openSUSE was the lead distro for x64. However, since Novell has gone over to the dark side I will be downloading & using the upcoming Debian release rather than openSUSE 10.2.
Note from Christopher T. SKelton: I can't believe what you have done and I don't know weather to console you or point and laugh at your future (although this will affect all of us). Although, I have never thought once about using any of your products, I am a FOSS advocate and believe strongly that you have made a deal with the devil. Good Luck! Long live FOSS!
Note from Christopher T. SKelton: I can't believe what you have done and I don't know weather to console you or point and laugh at your future (although this will affect all of us). Although, I have never thought once about using any of your products, I am a FOSS advocate and believe strongly that you have made a deal with the devil. Good Luck! Long live FOSS!
Note from Mark Duncan: Your agreement shows a profound lack of understanding into the factors that make open source software successful. It is difficult to think of any other action that could annoy, upset, and perturb the open source community as what you have done. If you do not rethink your actions, this could likely be a prime case study in years to come, of what not to do.
Note from Ravi S: Novell, Please take back the patent deal and let the free software community live peacefully.
Note from Adrian Hawkins: You should by now be very aware that your actions are totally unacceptable.
Note from maxim badran: Dont be fooled by the greeeen
Note from Randal Barlow: I would like to ask Microsoft to make proof of their claims public rather then making their claims nothing more then propaganda to kill another OS.
Note from Jonathan Kopetz: To Microsoft, I find it easy to read Ballmer (though he may hide his emotions well) and what he said during PASS regarding Linux liability will be the end of you should you pursue it. To Novell, how could you? I have never used your distribution before and now I am sure I never will so long as this deal stands. You have broken if not the word, but the spirit of the GPL, and soon the word if GPLv3 has anything to say about it, and that is something the community cannot abide by. I hope you enjoy the ship you have jumped on, it may not be so great on the inside.
Note from Daya: Shame on you Ron for even thinking of side lining you competition by using unfair practices. I guess you can't learn better from Microsoft anyways. But let me warn you, we will not let you getaway with stunts like this at all.
Note from Andrew Sova: I have previously been a SUSE user, but if Novell / SUSE do not terminate the agreement with Microsoft and stop betraying the Free Software Community, I will never again use Novell / SUSE products, nor will I ever again promote SUSE / Novell in any way.
Note from Tom Russell: Your UK/German marketing belies your words
Note from Siddharth Mody: I work for a company that amongst many things is also a close partner to NOVELL. I can safely say that natural selection will triumph as SUSE's turning into a pig. What with people like Sun Solaris calling Gnome the Java Desktop. Natural selection will eliminate poor choices in the long run. Three cheers for the GPL3.
Note from Donald C. Nelson: I have watched with suppressed dismay as the balance of consumer and artist has shifted heavily toward consumer since the purchase of SUSE by Novell. Since SUSE 8.3, SUSE has become more hostile to other lunux distros on the same hard drive, and whereas SUSE 8.3 was leading edge with multimedia, 10.1 will not play a midi file without special efforts. My 86-64 has never been capable of doing origional audio and video work, because I'm violating my own digital rights. Because I depend on PCs to assist my in controlling my transmitters, automate my program stream, produce the audio and video for that program stream, and provide a platform for the necessary bureocrats. All of this I can do in a linux environment, but I find I can no longer trust my art to Novell software. With SUSE and a lot of Jack now suspect, it would appear the lawyers that killed the music industry have found a new gig.
Note from Francesco Tapparo: I feel Novell betrayed me; at our GLUG we never released SUSE, and I'm sure we will never do that in the future.
Note from Glen Lewis: As a long time (10 year) advocate and evangelist for Linux, Suse has been my favorite and most recommended for the past 5. That's over. Although there are elements that are more polished than my next favorite distro, I will now put my efforts into helping that distro improve and I will not be touching Novell again. Ahh, the days of writing NLMs through the brief flirt with MONO. Goodbye, Novell. Goodbye, SuSE. It was nice knowing you, but it's time to part ways.
Note from Navin Sylvester: You(Novell) are too greedy to do anything with the open community. We will show you the door before microsoft. My company is Novell free, And prouder to be free,
Note from David Sinclair: Bad move, Novell. Looks like you might soon have to fork samba and GNU, or watch SuSE slide into obsolescence...
Note from Edison Go Tan: FOSS rocks....
Note from Philip Fletcher: Corporations must not forego their moral responsibilities simply because they are not enshrined in the letter of the law. Novell appears to have lost it's moral compass.
Note from Oscar de Lathouder: unfortunately, MICROSOFT. As you've already seen by the words of Steve Ballmer (because Linux "uses our intellectual property" and Microsoft wanted to "get the appropriate economic return for our shareholders from our innovation." and "Only customers that use SUSE have paid properly for intellectual property from Microsoft"), Microsoft will ABUSE Suse over and over again to spread FUD and get control over OSS... "Novell's US$40 million payment to Microsoft in exchange for the latter company's pledge not to sue SUSE Linux users over possible patent violations" is BAD!
Note from Tessari: I started using linux with Suse in 1997, it looks like I'll never go back to Suse...
Note from Bevan Hay: I have used Suse since Ver 7.2 and have tried many other distros, but Suse is so good I always come back, and now I am using 10.1 I don't even try the others. In the past Novell has been a true friend of the open source community, it is such a pity that it has given the "Fudmaster" so much amunition to use against us. By all means work on interoperability with M$ but please pull out of the patent fiasco!
Note from Nir Sarusy: As a user of suse linux for long time,i was very sad to hear about the agreement, which is the opposing of the spirit of linux.
Note from Frank J. McKee: *** FOR SALE *** Cheap! Boxed sets of SUSE Linux Professional (vesions 7.3, 8.0, 8.2, 9.0, and 9.2). The vote contained in my wallet has moved elsewhere. Even openSUSE is no longer an option. It was a nice ride while it lasted. So long.
Note from Paul C. Leopardi: The way that "Microsoft’s Patent Pledge for Individual Contributors to openSUSE.org" is worded, it seems to oblige contributors to openSUSE.org to violate GPLv2 as a requirement for obtaining Micosoft's covenant "not to assert Microsoft Patents against each Individual Contributor". At best, given the benfit of the doubt, it seems to me to contain loopholes and contradictions. Please do not make Microsoft's language: 'openSUSE.org agrees that as a condition of receiving the attached contribution of Your Original Work, openSUSE.org does not receive from You the contributor any licenses, covenants or any other rights under any Microsoft intellectual property with respect to that Original Work, and openSUSE.org will ensure that all further recipients of this Original Work will be subject to this same condition. “Original Work” has the meaning as set forth in Microsoft’s Patents Pledge for Individual Contributors to openSUSE.org.' part of the "binding contribution agreement" for openSUSE.org. If openSUSE.org adopts Microsoft's conditions for contribution, I fear that contributions to openSUSE.org may dry up.
Note from Tom Haddon: I think Mr. Balmer's comments over the past few days have illustrated the dangers of entering an agreement like this with MS - gives them the "excuse" they need to spread FUD about the alleged (well, not even alleged, just hinted at) infringement of Linux on MS intellectual property.
Note from Paul C. Leopardi: I have used SuSE Linux since 6.3 in 2000, mainly using the boxed sets, and have been an active user of the mailing lists. Google "leopardi site:suse.com" to verify. I too have been looking at Kubuntu recently, but am more confident than many on this list that Novell can find a way out of this patent/GPL mess. Novell, listen to what Eben Moglen and other people with real knowledge of the legal aspects of FOSS are saying. Honour your obligations to the people who write the software which you package.
Note from Lars Noodén: Software patents are proving to be a severe obstacle to development for all closed source and open source alike in regions where they apply. The US needs to roll back to pre-1989 patent law and Novell should be helping with that, rather than muddying the waters. Novell has had some excellent products, Netware and NDS, and purchased another, SuSe, but this latest deal appears so ill informed that all of that goodwill is gone in one move. What was Novell's leadership thinking? You can be sure that until all this blows over I will not even mention Novell or its products any more and when they are brought up, will steer folks to alternatives.
Note from Andrew Kissa: The OS community should speedly adopt the GPL3 and other licences that prevent corporations like Novell from using the software that the community has created as baragining chips aganist the community itself.
Note from Dave Prince: Used SuSE continuously from 1999-2006. Next upgrade cycle I'm off to ubuntu (or similar).
Note from Cameron Summers: A non sue clause in GPL3 is surely the way to go
Note from Rene Schmidt: Don't trust Microsoft.
Note from Richard Andrews: Expect no further assistance from the Free Software community. This agreement is deplorable. One expects no less from Microsoft, but I am deeply disappointed in Novel for falling into this trap. Novel has simply signed its own death warrant. GPL3 will ensure Novel has no viable business model for the foreseeable future. Goodbye Novel. I never really knew you.
Note from Jakob Petsovits: If Novell believes it can do without the open source community, fine. If not, you have to earn the trust of the community, and this is _not_ the way to do so. As Zack Rusin recently mentioned on The Linux Link Tech Show, Novell is not an open source company, it's just a company that happened to buy two open source companies. Being an open source company means to value the community's goals higher than selfish short-time advantages, otherwise it's impossible to trust each other. Just sponsoring conferences and events just won't do. If you want to work with the community, you've got to act in the community's interests.
Note from Jonas Karlsson: If Novell does not right this wrong, I know I cannot recommend any Novell software to any of my customers or future employers.
Note from Steve Anderson: I've been looking at Mono for an application I've been planning for a server - I thought it would be a good introduction to C#, a language I've heard a lot of people really like, on Linux, my operating system of choice. Last week, that changed. Sun have done a 180-degree turn and GPLed Java. Novell have done a 180-degree turn and utterly destroyed the good feelings they were getting from the Open Source community (after raining on SCO's parade) by leaping into bed with the legendary convicted monopolist for a few million bucks. Now Java, which will be unfettered by complex licenses and patent dodgy dealings, will be the language I start learning. For shame, Novell. There's shooting yourself in the foot, and then there's detonating a multiple megaton nuclear warhead in the foot, and you've naively gone and done the latter. I hope your board are pleased with the results.
Note from Thanasis Bouzanis: Dear Novell: Congratulations for shooting your Suse clients right between the eyes. Congratulations for flashing down the toilet such a good distro. Congratulations for helping the emperor shoot down the "bad guys". You will be rewarded. In case you didn't figure it out yet, note that you've just managed to blacklist your self to your entire linux clientele. So goodbye Suse, welcome (k)ubuntu.
Note from Noah Sematimba: I have been a SuSE user since 2000 and have recommended its use everywhere I have gone. All my servers run SuSE and my laptop too. In fact I had even convinced my company to pay to SLES and all their great products for clsutering not because I couldn't set it all up myself but simply to support them. However I am now evaluating my options. I will certainly be removing SuSE linux from my laptop and servers ASAP.
Note from Paulo Pinto: Your act just made me move into other distributions. Even though I do support Microsoft products, I don't feel like supporting them through Linux and give them weapons to use in the future against our beloved OS.
Note from Michael J Kaye: The behaviour of Novell is indefensible. In the words of the Samba team: "For Novell to make this deal shows a profound disregard for the relationship that they have with the Free Software community. We are, in essence, their suppliers, and Novell should know that they have no right to make self serving deals on behalf of others which run contrary to the goals and ideals of the Free Software community."
Note from Corne Kotze: I just feel sorry for all the guys that worked so hard on developing SUSE from the beginning, now all that hard work was taken by Novell in an agreement that can do the opensource community no good.
Note from peter: it will be a sad day for the OSS if you follow the path you appear to be. consider not just where your going but who your walking with!
Note from Erik Postma: With Novell doing this nonsense and Ubuntu enabling binary drivers by default, I'll have to stay with my old pal Debian in the future. I guess I'll have to recommend Fedora Core to less linux-savvy friends and family.
Note from Parameshwara Bhat: I have been a user of different GNU/Linux distros for four years now and have been a convert to the idea of software freedom ever since.I personally liked Suselinux and planned to use it in my startup firm,but after this I am not considering that anymore.
Note from Pandurangan R S: I used suse linux previously. I am using ubuntu now and i have no plans of using suse linux until the deal is taken back. good bye, suse.
Note from Wesley Parish: I think of The SCO Group's 2003 onslaught and one thing strikes me. TSCOG was big on claims, small on proof. They were also visibly failing. I worry about Microsoft, that it is using this 'agreement' to give precisely the same indicators of catastrophic failure. And, for what it's worth, I'm going to see how far I can get recompiling OpenSuSE 10.1 - on my OpenSuSE 10.0 box. If successful, I may make something of it - it's the way the GNU/BSD/Linux 'ecosystem' - good god, I would never have used that word if I had known the abuse it was going to get - that's how the F/LOSS 'ecosystem' radiates.
Note from Andrew Harris: This was a bad idea...
Note from Martin Eddington: Great, my business plan for my start-up is nearly complete and now I have to rework the whole lot and get to grips with Fedora rather than SuSE for the computationally challenged clients I wish to help. Obviously, being an advocate for Software Freedom it is now unconscionable to use or recommend Novell products.
Note from Hans Gregersen Jensen: Thank you Ron. Now every Linux user has to worry just as much as the millions of people running illegal copies of Windows.
Note from Dr Tony Young: Mr Hovespian, allow me to request that you take steps to rescind the patents agreement with Microsoft as soon as possible. Cooperate in development by all means, but do not continue with this damaging patents covenant with Microsoft which I perceive is splitting Linux users and developers into SUSE and non-SUSE. Microsoft is already using your agreement to spread FUD and disinformation and I believe you are now a tool in their campaign to destroy the spread of Linux. My perception is that you are damaging your company's good name, perhaps irreparably. I have respected and used SUSE for the past 6 years. You no longer have my respect and I am now looking for a way to remove SUSE10 from my desktop, despite the fact that it is my preferred Linux system. I am bitterly sorry that you have chosen short term monetary gain over long term whole world success.
Note from Dennis Raspe: "In short, now that Novell has chosen not to hang together with the Free Software community, we've chosen not to do so with you." Well, this says it all.
Note from Vince Vierra: And, to think I was filling out the forms to come onboard. Not now.
Note from Norm Green: Novell has shown its colours and sealed it's fate.
Note from Martin Vrana: Micro$oft + Novell = devastation of linux and linux principles
Note from Calin Miclaus: I think Novell betrayed the community and what the community/free software stand for. The distro that I first touched, was SuSE 5.3. I am dissapointed of what it turned into. From time to time, I recomended SuSE Linux to new Linux users, who wanted an easy-to-use distro (SuSE is a nice distro for desktop usage). Now, I wont do that any more, and will even discourage usage of SuSE, since I dont want to participate in this betrayal that Novell made. I think everyone in the community should do this, to stay united, becouse unity is what defines a community.
Note from Stuart Longland: To shame Novell... You forget that SuSE isn't the only distribution out there... it's one of about 300 different distributions in existance, what about the rest of us? If we can't rely on companies like Novell to protect our rights... who can we rely on?
Note from Jonas Bosson: So you are trying to make free software commercially impossible? I was in the audience in Brussels when you spoke out as if you understood the problems that this kind of agreement would create. Drop this nonsense.
Note from Hauke Habermann: I used SuSE some years ago, then I switched to Debian. Now I see it was a good choice. Even if I would like the SuSE/Novell Linux, I would change my distribution now because of this deal. A company that makes profit by using GPL'ed software and promotes software patents on the other hand is out of the question.
Note from Simon Allen: I am very displeased in this deal between you and Microsoft. I believe in open source firmly and will defend it as such. This deal will hurt our community we have spent so long building, the effects of this deal will alas be very negative, I will never use SuSE again if this is put into place, I will stick with someone who isn't a traitor. For shame.
Note from Jason Shoemaker: Microsoft gave Novell $400 million, a box of poison, and a bottle of antidote. Novell adds the poison to its distro, and gives the antidote to its customers. "Don't worry, we are protecting you with this exclusive medicine!" Meanwhile other distros using Novell's "free" software in their distro, may become poisoned. Symtoms: 1. Gain bad taste of M$ lawyers 2. Loss of property Microsoft an Novell are tag team. FOSS is a huge tag team though. ;)
Note from zac barton: I used to use SuSE. Not anymore.
Note from Hans Bezemer: Doing business with Microsoft is dangerous and should be avoided at all times. Better companies than yours were killed by doing business with this giant. Over and over again I find Microsoft cannot be trusted in any way. It is a danger to our community and our way of life in general. Talking of IP, most of the packages you 'defend' are not your property, but of their respective owners, who - as far as I know - have not given you their permission to do so. I guess the lawyers of MS have done their work, so legally speaking I'm sure your fine. Ethically speaking, I'm not so sure.
Note from Bartosz Jedlinski: We are still waiting for friendly steps from Microsoft, but still we don't see any. It seems that the company is not ready yet to make business in a new, community friendly way. Novell joins Microsoft on their way, bringing software that doesn't belong to them. Cooperation between various companies representing different approaches to business is possible when all players respect each other. In this case I cannot see any respect from Microsoft and Novell for Open Source community.
Note from Krzysztof Lichota: I used to recommend Suse to my friends and contribute to Suse/OpenSuse project, but since this agreement I stopped and I am happy I have switched to Kubuntu a while ago.
Note from Radoslav Dejanović: Although independent FLOSS company, we've been Novell partners and promotors of SuSE Linux for some time. Right now we are reconsidering our position on the market and our future plans because of the agreement with Microsoft. We, as your partners, do not see any strategic benefits out of this, with exception of short-lived increase in sales of your product because you're going to utilize Microsoft marketing machine to help you sell more of Novell products. However, we do see that there's a big chance of FLOSS community walking away... and your business partners following them (as some of us know who's the boss in this game). On the other hand, this thing does have a good side - it will speed up acceptance of GPL v3.
Note from Pik Master: We never forget
Note from Myles Parker, Canberra Australia: To Mr. Hovsepian, I was very pleased that Novell seemed to be finding it's way out of the abyss that it had fallen into after being mauled by M$ in the 90's by buying Suse and SEEMINGLY supporting Linux and FOSS. Now I am terribly dismayed that you have followed this path. I remind you - and All at Novell - of the old childrens poem - "The Spider and the Fly". Modified it starts - " Will you walk into my parlour?" said the (Microsoft) Spider to the (NoveLl)Fly, 'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there." Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain, For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again." Apologies to by Mary Howitt 1821. http://www.earthlife.net/chelicerata/spid-fly.html
Note from Chris Hildebrandt: We have paused our recommendations for Novell products until Novell shows significant activity to support and protect the free and open source community again, which created the biggest part of their "intellectual property".
Note from Shaun Branden: Congratulations on giving Groklaw something to fight after SCO dies. I am sure Pamela would have preferred a holiday, but Novel is history. I install an average of 300 Opensource computers a year (last 7 years), I will make sure that not only none of these are suse, but none of my associates installs are either.
Note from Rene Moser: We kicked out SuSE of ours servers. We are disappointed...
Note from Alexandru Nedelcu: Novell killed a great Linux distribution. I really hope the community sticks together in the light of this new danger. There never was a better time for GPL3.
Note from Denis Batten: The four freedoms got me into computing. They must be defended.
Note from Spencer C. Hastings: I was considering a choice of licenses to run on both intel and pSeries architecture in the future. My choices for those licenses came down to RedHat or SUSE. Novell has now made that an easy choice. Freedom benefits us all, your deal benefits no one.
Note from Jürgen Hamel: I use SuSE a lot of years, and the last years I wrote an ERP-Program ( cuon) and take a lot of work to start this program with SuSE. From now on, I don´t support NOVELL products.
Note from Janet Hawtin: [A]n indiscriminate creation of exclusive privileges tends rather to obstruct than to stimulate invention. It creates a class of speculative schemers who make it their business to watch the advancing wave of improvement, and gather its foam in the form of patented monopolies, which enable them to lay a heavy tax upon the industry of the country, without contributing anything to the real advancement of the arts. It embarrasses the honest pursuit of business with fears and apprehensions of concealed liens and unknown liabilities to lawsuits and vexatious accountings for profits made in good faith. Atlantic Works v. Brady, 107 U.S. 192, 200 (1882) (Bradley, J.).
Note from James Roberts: We were once a Novell specialist: we still have the plaque on the wall. I will ensure that we will NOT be selling any SuSE or Novell products or services to any clients from now on.
Note from Kevin Austin: I am absoutely bemused that Novell are so Niaive to beleive that this will be good for both SUSE and the Open Source community in the long run, if the Legal team and management had done their history lessons they would not have made this agreement with Microsoft. The original SUSE team must be feeling really sick at this decision
Note from Vince Lampa: I will stand alongside the great and esteemed people who have given so much to the community in protesting the Novell-Microsoft agreement. I represent one of the future developers and IT professionals affected by this unfair agreement, being a Linux user for a long time already, caertainly longer than your Novell has been an open-source player. By signing this deal, Mr. Hovsepian, you have alienated us, and remember that we and my peers will be future CIOs someday, and your actions today will reflect on us when making decisions for companies in the future. Mr. Hovsepian, you would do well to heed the community, especially now that GPL 3 is around the corner. We certainly would not let deals of this sort happen again.
Note from marat: remember! it's the battle - peoples(oss etc) against unpeoples(ms etc) God with us!!!
Note from Michael Stefanjuk: I was using SUSE all these years before. After this Microsoft-Novell Patent Agreement I stopped using SUSE and erased it from my harddisk. I changed to Ubuntu Linux. I'm disappointed and I'm not supporting any User - Questions about SUSE anymore.
Note from vasaka: Playing with devial never ends good. Don't forget how MS got to the top, could thigs change& I do not think so.
Note from Pedro Enrique: Novell justify its actions with the short-term benefits of this "patent extorsion agreement". There is something call ETHICS that Novell's management should find about it. You shouldn't bite the hand that's feeding you. Shame on you, Novell.
Note from Lester: Double shame on you, Novell. You've made a great spittle to whole opensource community's face. Plus you've ruined a great (till now) SuSE linux. I'd not like to have a deal with you in future.
Note from zilka: I do my first steps with linux on OpenSUSE. But i newer more wish to use it...
Note from Maurice McCarthy: Democracy at the moment means government by the economic powers for the sake of the economy. Until the cultural rights of individuals gain more respect in our societies they will lurch will from one crisis to the next. All patenting of software is anti-individual and anti-democratic in the true sense - legislation against the people.
Note from Jason Baker: Remember Corel Linux? I thought not!
Note from Sander Marechal: To add insult to injury, software patents are still outlawed in Europe. Therefor the patent agreement is totally void for me as a European citizen. Why should Novell give a part of my Suse money to Microsoft for a bunch on non-existant, unspecified patents that are by definition unenforcable in Europe? The MS-Novell is destructive FUD where software patents are valid and totally void everywhere else. Novell should back out. Fast.
Note from Lutz Schwarz: As a supporter of SUSE-Linux products for many years, we are fairly disappointed about latest agreement between Novell and Microsoft.
Note from Sam Tuke: Suse was the first linux distribution that I ever used. For a long time it was my favorite and most recommended distribution. This is certainly not the case any more. Novell has betrayed us all.
Note from Bakyt: FOSS must rule.
Note from Stephan Dörner: Software patents should be abolished.
Note from Sebastian Koch: Novell got a responsibility which they should use to help the open source community. I am straight using Linux and Open Source Software because i am believing that this is the future in a e-world where Big Companys are spying my privacy.
Note from miKeL: totally agree!
Note from Tigran Zakoyan: We all have to stay together to keep the strength balance between corporations and at least FOSS community. The agreement between Novell and Microsoft has not only negative but a number of positive moments, but the Novell's intentions and goals look clearly harmful to the community.
Note from Manjyna Leeks: I have followed Novell since the late 90's when NetWare was far superior to WinBlows. I was happy when Novell bought SuSE because I thought it would be great for the community to have such a big name backing Linux in this way. I was thrilled when I was hired by Novell. Now I'm just embarrassed by the whole thing. Any true linux companies hiring in the UK???
Note from David Morrissey: For Microsoft, it hasn't be about the money for a long long time. It's about the power. For Novell, it appears to have no confidence in it's self to gain the Power. It's now about getting the quick money. I'll be formating my systems over the long weekend now.
Note from Joakim Dahl: Support from a Linux user.
Note from Pierre Sternegard: Im sad to say that i probably will not use Novells Suse as a example of a cheaper and free'er platform that local administrations can use and that can be freely disributed in some form also to citizens to make information technology more avilable and useable for everyone (meaning everyday users, and those who whish to create own personal solutions).
Note from Piotr Biernat: By signing the deal with Microsoft you admit that Linux and FLOSS software violate Microsofts patents. This will reflect negatively on the community and will help US software companies (including YOU!) to enforce software patents in the EU.
Note from Anmol Chaturvedi: Won't let Micro$ux make Novell da new SCO, WON'T. If Novell goes ahead with this then i will make sure never to touch this distro,& won't recommend it to anybody. Wont support any Novell product anymore. && Microsoft let me warn you that after this i will use all my might to convert as many ppl as possible to Linux. Before i used to help ppl fix their windoze system but from now on i will install Linux for them. dont under estimate us. Stop this bull novell stop. Remember this whole community will be by your side if the Micro$atan will try to sue you.
Note from Taras Oleksyn: What the hell are these poor Novell bastards doing?!
Note from Mathias Zettler: Novell, don't dance with the devil.
Note from Tony Wolfs: The company I am working for has over 4000 computer across the country. They intend to switch over to Linux sometime in 2007. Today an internal note was sent to all branches not to consider Suse Linux till further notice. Personally.......no Suse on my comps anymore
Note from José Martins: I am very sad about the situation you, Novell, created in the community. I hope that the community makes a stand and offer an example to all who think they can play with the work of so many people that is contributing, with a open mind, to improve the life of so many. One always get what one plant.
Note from Mikhael Osipov: totally agree, opensource ideas must be in our world to the end of time
Note from Lucjan Soltys: This is not good for free world.
Note from Alan S Milnes: Novell has betrayed the community and cannot be allowed to get away with this.
Note from Claudio Miranda: It is so sad to see a distribution that I used to use during my fledgling years as a GNU/Linux user be utterly destroyed by the greed of one corporation. I had my doubts about Novell when they purchased SuSE and as others have mentioned here, and it looks like my worries were confirmed when the Novell-Microsoft agreement was announced. Thankfully the FLOSS community has provided other solutions for users of Novell/SuSE. Shame on you, Novell, for making a deal with the devil. Everyone saw the writing on the wall....you were just to blinded by money to see it.
Note from Dmitry A. Andrianov: These decisions will put to death free software as class, and with tem and a lot of people will remain out of employment and sense of life....think of tom that you do.
Note from Dmitrij Aldosin: i newer more wish to use Suse anymore.
Note from Arthur Kalimullin: I have installed SuSE Linux to the laptop of my girlfriend
Note from Heinz Hartfiel: Thanks a lot Mr. Hovsepian, that's exactly the response I was fearing about! Betrayal of trust seems to be perfect! Generally and from the customer point of view it's a good idea to bridge the gap between Microsoft and GNU/Linux but not at the expense of the Linux Community! Keep in mind that you are going to lose the respect and support of hundreds and thousands of CNE's and MCNE's worldwide also, because Novell don't give them adequate opportunities to bridge their knowledge to Linux (e.g. CLP/CLE) at reasonable prices and in honor to the work they have done. To achieve the LPI Certification and supporting the Linux Community will be the natural consequence. As a CNE supporting Novell for more than 14 years i'm very disappointed.
Note from Yuriy G. Hashev: I have refused use SuSe. It is a pity that the policy kills good OS.
Note from Peter Maria Stirnberg: Do the novell guys really know what they`re doing? sure I use slackware and macos x but their way of acting will take bad influence on the way software patents will be handled in europe and the rest of the free world ;-)
Note from Andrew Matthews: The men the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth. -H. L. Mencken
Note from Aaron Howard: I am a technology consultant focusing on Linux and OSS solutions to business problems. I have historically been a supporter of Novell. I've been using and promoting NetWare since 2.15 and was a CNE w/ NW4 and NW5. I was very excited when Novell started work on using Linux as their kernel and had high hopes for them. And now this...I will not recommend Novell products or services to my customers any longer.
Note from Michael A. Sidoruk: Lots of people and powerful companies joined their forces to protect the world from M$ and prevent people from slavery. Who could know that enemy was among our good friends. Guys from Novell You are traitors! PS. Hey... Bill.. keep your dirty hands off Linux. We all remember Sybase (where MSSQL was stolen), Corel (Corel Linux), SUN (as source of ideas for .NET (and its library classes names)) and... sure... everybody knows where M$ OS where stolen from... IBM.. Great way to enter into alliances! Eh? But its the usual way for M$ to get things done! Nothing new but too much noise M$, M$, M$.. Keep the free land of Linux from your labels.. Go back to Redmond!
Note from Bruce L. Wailes: I had only just recently tried SUSE. I found it to be a usable distribution and was adopting it in our data center. As of this week the SUSE boxes are gone. I will never use Novell products again.
Note from Vladislav Mikhailikov: As always fat cats wants your two penny. Let's freedom rock'n'roll. All good pepole should say no to this doublecrossing.
Note from Pawel Slabiak Linux Services: What's a shame Novell !!!!
Note from Don Bivens: Sadly Novell seems intent on becoming an anachronism with Suse just like they have with Netware. Both products (Suse and Netware) have been beaten by Microsoft.
Note from Andrea Sterbini: Mr. Hovsepian, my department had been using SUSE/Novell Linux for years, now we are moving away from it. I am convincing my students, my colleagues and my friends to stay far away from your distribution.
Note from simeon fox: We will move our servers from Suse to Ubuntu and our Linux Lab from Suse to Kubuntu; policy decision Nov 2006, implementation Dec 2006-Jan 2007
Note from Serg: It's just betray, Novell. I'm one of those, who have moved from SuSE to another systems.
Note from Peter Freeman: So much for my efforts to show some loyalty to a company who I thought was going to serve the best interests of the FOSS community as well as it shareholders, not just the latter. Pity the loyalty hasn't been returned. Still, more work for me anyway, some of my clients Suse Linux Enterprise subscriptions will be migrated to Redhat so they can still run a supported version of Openexchange. RIP Novell, your comeback was shortlived.
Note from Daniel Byalsky: Dollars! All their cares, hopes, joys seemed to be melted down into dollars...
Note from Robyn Manning: The programs I am writing now and in the future, Novell wont get their hands on for sure.
Note from Paul Thomas: I chose SuSE 2 years ago because of respect for Novell and the innovative work they had done in he past. Every decision has an emotional foundation; I chose you because I liked and trusted what Novell stood for. Now I have the job of transferring my systems to RedHat, choosing them because they speak to the community. They have shareholders too, my hope is that management has the long term view of just how successful they can be as independant FOSS vendors. I hope they recognize the nuances of the community. How many people will date a prostitute?
Note from John Myshrall: Oh Novell getting in bed with M$ .... you've snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. M$ is an proverbial iceberg with lots of hidden traps that you will hit. Stay this course and your company will sink. Long live FOSS.
Note from Igor Foox: This move has put a black mark on both Microsoft and Novell in the eyes of FOSS developers. Since Microsoft has long enjoyed being in this priviliged position, Novell is the one that will ultimately lose from this partnership. This behaviour shows complete disregard of the developer and user community around SUSE and FOSS in general.
Note from Mark Soiseth: Microsoft is like "any other large country." It has never entered into an agreement without the intent being to destroy the partner.
Note from Maxim: Maxim Dashkov System administrator
Note from Kim Briggs: There are too many linux distributions. In one day, you have made your company irrelevant.
Note from David Carman: Intellectual Property is the oxymoron of the 21st century. Like the Abolitionists of the 19th century, we insist that not everything in the world can be bought, sold and owned.
Note from Pete Pinter: As a 30-year programming veteran, from punch cards to php, I don't take this step lightly. But, if adding my name to this protest makes any difference and helps change your absurd position, it's the least I can do.
Note from A,K.: I disapprove of Microsoft in general.
Note from Paul Hands: I am (was) a SuSE user since version 5.1, always buying the professional, supported, boxed set. This weekend I will move to Ubuntu or RedHat. I will cease to be a SuSE customer. I will also be lobbying my company to discontinue use of SLED10.
Note from Wolfram R. Sieber: Microsoft is not a shop I trust. I'm according with Pieter Hintjens and Michael Valentine: People who do deals with Microsoft rarely live long enough to regret it. Past dealings with MS should have been a warning!
Note from Jens Pranaitis: I'm a pupil at a school in Germany, I'm involved with setting up GNU/Linux and FreeBSD operating systems, I've used SuSE and Debian so far, but after this deal I'll install Debian on the existing SuSE boxes and make sure that no Novell products are used until this deal is abandoned.
Note from Dave Sullivan: Clearly Novell doesn't know what the FOSS community is all about. They came in by buying SuSE and have now sold out. I can't wait to see major OSS projects switch to a new license (ie. GPLv3) and leave Novell in the dust.
Note from Ruairi Hickey: I will be using my influence as the senior Linux SysAdmin to cease the use and purchase of Novell and Suse products at my current employers and elsewhere.
Note from Neil Thompson: From now, I intend to actively discourage people/companies from using your products as well as providing assistance for them to move to other distributions. Also, I call on all projects which currently have Novell/SUSE employees as contributors to stop allowing them to contribute - their contributions are now at best suspect. Novell/SUSE - you have lost the trust of the community, I'm not sure there is anything you can do to get it back.
Note from MICHAEL W MALSBERGER: Those who attempt to ride the Beast of Redomond usually end up in its belly.
Note from Adrian M. Stovall: This farce must end.
Note from Yallon: Novell might not think so, but MS did add to it's "Patent Portfolio against Linux" claims with this agreement. If Novell realy wants to to "make peace" with the FOSS community, they should admit their mistake and withdraw from this agreement. This is the only way to show that they still "hold faith" to the cause of FOSS, in my opinion.
Note from Ben Coman: I am not an anti-Microsoft zealot. I readily support Microsoft products as a practical consideration for businesses having the legacy of those computing systems. However the benefits of open source software are growing. Patents may have a place in society to encourge investment in experimental research of the "forces of nature" and sharing the resulting knowledge with the rest of society. However software is "of the mind" so while new concepts may arise, providing a monopoly on these does not benefit society the same as physical patents. Software Patents were NOT REQUIRED for the building of the computer industry in the 70s, 80s and 90s, and they are NOT required now. They only dampen software development by introducing fear, uncertainty and doubt into the process, to the detriment of society as a whole.
Note from Keith: Use open source and free software almost exclusively to create software.
Note from Jim Sansing: I have been using Suse for the past 3 years and find it to be a very good distro. However, to be considered a member of the Free and Open Source Software community, you must commit to the principles of the community. Software patents are an abomination to the community and any company giving the slightest aid to those who would use them against FOSS development cannot be considered to be committing to the principles of the community.
Note from Aleksandr Klimenko: I`m very disappointed by this agreement. I think it is cynicical sputum to all open source society
Note from Michael E. Webb: I am a relatively new Linux User, am sold on Linux and the principles of Free Software. I am evaluating different distros to determine which one to use as my primary distro on my computer. I have mostly heard good things about SuSE Linux, and it was a serious option for me--until now. I have read closely the issues surrounding your agreements with Microsoft (who I have been watching for over 15 years and am convinced that they are monopolist crooks on the same level as John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil of a century ago, if not worse), and am convinced that you have become a tacit, if not active, proxy partner of Microsoft's efforts to undermine Linux and Free Software in general. I do not intend to consider SuSE Linux for myself or recommend it to anyone else unless and until Novell comes to its senses as to who are its friends and who are its mortal enemies, publicly repudiating your agreements with Microsoft. In addition, I will be watching to see if you, in fact, return to living in the true spirit of Free Software.
Note from Matt Schmittdiel: I find open source software to often times be far superior to its closed counterparts. This deal between Novel and Microsoft threatens what thousands of software developers around the world have worked for, and continue to work for.
Note from Andrés Becerra Sandoval: In the field of education I find open source software extremely valuable and liberating for teachers and students equally. This Novel-Microsoft agreement is a real treat that must be addressed and publicized
Note from alexander Meesters: what are you guys thinking over there!?!?! did you use to much drugs or something, did you boot winXP a time to many?!?! i just wasted 60 euros on something, i now, will never install again, at least microsoft has the decency to refund the registration code.... you guys are just a bunch of &%^&^& and #%^#^&$@, and believe me, those aren't nice words!!!!, back off now and cut your losses!!!!!, yours sincerely, Alexander Meesters
Note from Mike Schwager: Novell did the "smart" thing- for the short term... Canvassed their customers, discovered that the business types are concerned about patents, gave them what they wanted. How they thought that could be good for the long-term health of the company, though, is completely beyond me. "Linux" is a combination of the Linux kernel, and a whole pile of GPL software. You *have* to know that a good portion of that software will come under GPLv3, and the express purpose of GPLv3 is to prevent circumventing the spirit of the GPL. Essentially, most or all Linux distributions will come under the GPLv3. Novell, what were you thinking?
Note from Jonathan Ward: Maintain the separation of Linux and Microsoft. Linux is superior, I don't want Microsoft cluttering up the works!
Note from Miguel Angel Fernández: Today I have finished the migration from my 4 SuSE 10.0 sytems to Kubuntu Edgy 6.10. Novell, you are doomed. No one has survived to a direct hit err, deal with Microsoft. Finally, to the great OpenSuSE Team: fork. Now.
Note from Kevin Power: M$ is like the latin language, it is the OS of the dead.
Note from Pavel Alexeev: Novell! Money is not the true source of happiness!
Note from Mike Hauber: This is your doing, undo it or sleep in the bed you've made. You've already lost me as well as a slew of other customers/supporters. How many more until you finally realize that you've made a very, very bad decision?
Note from syamsul anuar: I love U SUSE... but not anymore... I'll hang out with Miss Ubuntu now...
Note from George Golubev: It's a shame to collaborate with Bill Gates and M$.
Note from Dennis Murczak: Because their distro sucks anyway and they allow Microsoft to randomly sue users of Free Software with their idiotic bull claims.
Note from F. Maestas: And here I was looking forward to the new SUSE offering from Novell. Now, I'm looking elsewhere. Were just a smal business, but this makes one worry. We don't have the big dolloars to pay the MSFT tax. Linux is what get's us by and helps us remain competitive. I'll be scratching SUSE off the software list and staying with what works for us.
Note from Mitch Martin: I wish I could say that I'm surprised at your actions...
Note from Phil Mills: I join the many other signers is deploring Novell's actions. We have a Mac and Linux site and are nearly M$ free. Our IT dept is now going to be Suse free-not as in free Suse.
Note from Mark W. Zaugg: The principles of transparency, openness and clarity are of utmost importance in business dealings. The agreement made between Novell and Microsoft lacks these traits - seemingly in a way to circumvent Novell's pledge to the GPL. The covenant the GPL imposes is freeing us to use the work of others by in turn contributing our work to the commons. Restricting use to a few through the use of patents run counter to this principle. This decision to section off a portion of the community breaks the covenant to the larger whole and causes great concern to me. Should there be any questions regarding patent infringement, it seems much more reasonable to me to disclose the issues and allow the community at large to resolve it. A much better idea is the invalidation of software patents altogether. When the motivation behind an agreement does not have the transparency, clarity or openness that meet my personal standards, I shall have a very difficult time recommending Novell solutions. I shall choose options which are unencumbered with questionable, undocumented and obfuscated agreements.
Note from Izzy Blacklock: I've been a long time supporter of both Novell and Suse Linux. I got my start in networking on Netware systems, long before the days of Windows 95. I've been following the SCO lawsuits with interest from the beginning and have applauded Novell's skill and tactics in defending Linux. I applauded Novell's Lawsuit against Microsoft over Wordperfect and have made it a point to tell people of the vision Novell had for a cross platform office suite and how much better it would have been then the mess we have now. I've come to Novell's defense on numerous occasions and have been actively promoting Novell as a company of integrity worthy of trust and support. How quickly things change. I hope Novell gets the message soon and backs away from this deal. It doesn't help FLOSS in any way and clearly shows Novell is not worthy of my trust or support.
Note from Matthew Alton: It is high time that the prominent technology decision makers of our society realize that We The People are engaged in an epic and historically important struggle against the forces of tyranny and injustice. Accordingly, despicable acts of treachery and betrayal, such as this present foolish and socially destructive agreement between the Novell and Microsoft companies, must be dealt with quickly, decisively, and effectively by all those who would preserve the freedom to create and distribute software as they see fit. Mr. Hovsepian, and all those who would sell us into the hands of greedy and evil men, must be made examples of. Let their lies be exposed and repudiated. Let their deeds be undone. Let their fate, and the fate of all those who would follow them, be consignment by the just to oblivion. Amen.
Note from Volker Wiegand: Having worked for SuSE some years ago myself, I can only express my deepest disappointment. Anything we have worked for, have *created* and have been proud of, has been sold out.
Note from sergio Vincent: I was a loyal Novell Suse user who gladly paid for your product over free versions of linux because i thought it to be a great prouduct. I am that no longer.Novell is an embarressment to the free software movement.
Note from Wayne Root: As I grew up I was led to believe that I lived in a free country......Microsoft is proving that wrong. I've used SuSE since 6.xx and have tried many other distros but have always gone back to SuSE. Hello Kubuntu, Knoppix, etc.........byby SuSE.
Note from Peter J. Rose: I have been a loyal Suse user since Red Hat dropped support of their consumer version of Linux. In fact I recently purchased the boxed edition of Suse Linux 10.1, which I was planning on installing on a new computer I have built to replace one that is seven years old, shortly before you made your deal with Microsoft. Unless you reverse your deal with Microsoft I will shortly be returning it, and dumping all versions of Suse I am currently running. I hate to do this because Suse has been a very stable version. Novell of all firms and you of all people should know what sort of reputation Microsoft has, and their history of dirty tricks and what has happened to firms who have partnered with them in the past. There is a passage in the Bible which reads as follows: "Can the ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil." (Jeremiah 13:23, NIV.) The point of this is that those who habitually practice evil will most likely continue to do so until the day they die. And this is the sort of people you have made your deal with. Do you think you and Novell are any different from those who have done deals with Microsoft before you? I don't think so. And in the end I doubt the fate of Novell will be any different from all the rest who have done deals with Microsoft in the past,unless you back out of this deal and distance yourself from it as quickly as you possibly can. If this deal was for the good of all of Linux, why was it that Mr. Ballmer started making utterances about Linux infringing Microsoft IP and making veiled threats of lawsuits against other Linux distributions almost before the ink on the agreement you signed was dry? Your dealings with Microsoft remind me of Edmund selling out to the white witch in C.S. Lewis' story, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, for a box of Turkish Delight. He thought it was cool when he did it, but it wasn't long before he found himself in a heap of trouble. You have sold out to Microsoft for a quarter billion dollars, money that can be gone before you realize it. And just like Edmund, I doubt it will be long before you will find yourself in much trouble, unless you quickly repudiate this deal and distance yourself as fast and as far as you can from Microsoft. To put it another way, those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Note from Jerry L kreps: Over the years I have PURCHASED TWENTY TWO (22) boxed sets of SuSE. When Novell purchased SuSE they posted a new EULA on their website which prohibited installing SUSE on more than one PC or making archival copies of it without written permission from Novell. I complained about that EULA on the SUSE newsgroup and created a firestorm. After a few days Novell changed the EULA to be more FOSS friendly and later converted YAST to the GPL. But, it was too late for me. I didn't like the odor that was coming out of Novell and switched to another distro. It seems like the smell has now gotten MUCH worse. My workplace is a Novell shop, but we are dropping NetWare AND SUSE ASAP.
Note from Prasad MNR: History repeats! Novell remember SCO. You are retracing the SCO path. The trust of FOSS community has been betrayed. Ron, what were you thinking? You have decided to have SuSe written into the pages of history. Microsoft will make sure of Novell being written too! So long...RIP.
Note from Tommy Mikalsen: Pay the Danes Gold, lest till they come back for more
Note from Brian Lee: I haven't forgotten Novell's attack on the BSD community in the early 90s. Keep up the lousy tradition, Ron.
Note from Brian Clark: I have been administering Netware since '91 and SuSE since '99. I was excited when the companies were combined. Now I am watching to see if should continue to be involved with either. Please do the right thing; eat crow and back out ASAP.
Note from Ido Perelmutter: Fight for (y)our freedom!
Note from Kees den Hartigh: Been pushing SUSE since 7.3. Bought into Novell last year for SLED and Enterprise. Saw the writing on the wall last summer and rather than moving 300 desktops to SLED we pushed out ubuntu with great success. Did not renew Novell contract in September and completely dismayed by the Nov 2 event. Suse was a great product. Now that Microsoft has stuck their dirty fingers in the pie I lost my appetite.
Note from Cavan Kelly: I called Novell about becoming a partner the day the SuSe purchase was announced. The Microsoft agreement has caused me to drop you just as quickly. With friends like Novell, Linux and the open source community don't need enemies.
Note from Frank de Lange: I see Novell has been advised to fire their legal team. May I add the advise to fire your business ethics team as well?
Note from Robert Santy: Software "patents" are harmful to the entire industry.
Note from Tony Pott: When you make a separate peace with those who have been waging war on your community, you cease to be a member of that community, and cannot expect to receive the benefits of membership. Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas: go to bed with Microsoft, wake up in need of antibiotics.
Note from ritchie turner: i have been using mono for 6 months, i like and respect the mono community and their work - and I've converted my products from java to mono .... mmm, good timing. Novell, must change course, and call Microsoft's bluff on patents, put up or shut up!, or I fear mono is dead in the water.
Note from Norman Steinbach: For money, people would apparently even sell their own souls and future, as well as the future of our societies, even the future of the whole planet's population. So, are people unable to think on their own - or how else can this misbehavior be explained?
Note from Scott Tsai: Novell's actions will have far reaching consequences. The possibility of having to pay per unit royalties will hurt Linux even in the consumer electronics industry.
Note from Ross Murker: Novell, your actions have removed your products from my virtual toolbox - thank you for making the choice so easy for me.
Note from Brian Adkins: SUSE has been my distro of choice for the last several years for my personal use, my office and my clients. Because of the recent agreement with Microsoft I will not be using or recommending SUSE in the future. As my 9.2 distros are old, I will be upgrading all of the machines under my administration to other distributions as soon as is feasible.
Note from Andy Wright: I've been a supporter and fan of Novell ever since I started using Netware 2.15, and later products like Zenworks and BorderManager. To say I'm disappointed at Novell's actions would be an understatement. I will no longer use or recommend any Novell product from now on. A great shame - good bye, Novell.
Note from Tim Patterson: I used SuSE since 8.1 and after watching the webcast I replaced SuSE on all of my boxes with a mix of Fedora and Debian. After successfully migrating numerous falimy and friends from Windows to SuSE Linux I am now in the process of moving them to Ubuntu/Kubuntu and Fedora. I hope Novell can find a way to rectify their huge mistake but I'm not holding my breath. Either way there are plenty of other very fine distro's available.
Note from Osw Cab: It's sad to see how blind managment can be! OpenSuse is a great distribution but all programmer's hard work is lost with that kind of managers. I think all open source programmers who created the great software Novell is using must sharing their valuable work with a company that is attacking the whole spirit of the free software.
Note from Harsha Padmanabha: Why make a pact with the devil incarnate
Note from Jason Encinas: As a reletively new user (I'd never heard of "Linux" or "Open Source/Free Software" until early 2005), I can't say I have much experience or knowledge of Linux in general and the GPL specifically. However, I have learned alot in these nearly two years. With Red Hat being taught at my school, and having a bad experience with it, I went looking for a new distro to use, and eventually settled on SUSE, which had been bought by Novell by then. Although I still hated dealing with the RPM system, that's not truely Novell's fault, and I found no other problems with SUSE 10. But, in light of this new deal with Microsoft, I've since switched my systems to PCLinuxOS and Ubuntu respectively. I hope that Novell will do nothing more to alienate its own customers, as Microsoft does on a constant basis, and that Novell will do anything it can to restore the confidence that the Free Software community once had in it. (Written on Ubuntu Edgy 6.10 using Firefox 2.0)
Note from Terence John Coles: I believe that Novell owe it to the community to find a way to revoke this agreement.
Note from kellito: Shame on you Novell. I have been advocating and using SuSE linux since '99. Not anymore. Shame on you. Save your face now - reverse the patent agreement!
Note from ah: I am just a home user with multiple machines. I know I don't matter. But just so you know, I wiped all of my boxes and no longer run Suse. I now run Ubuntu. We all make choices in life and I wish you well, but its not a path I can take...
Note from Stefan Esterer: I'm an software developer and I believe in free software. Patent agreements are not the right way. Novell, take your decision back!
Note from Michael Bueker: It is sad to see what has become of the friendly, open and humorous piece of software SuSE used to be. Developed by a small group of German software engineers, it used to be a good example of a complete and user-friendly approach to Linux. Granted, the technical quality of SuSE has been deteriorating ever since YaST2 came along, but now you, Novell, have managed to kill its soul, too.
Note from Eric Belanger: Ive seen lots of OSS projects and distros since 1998. Ive seen Novell buying Suse and I though, "well I guess Netware isnt good enough for today's standard - they decided to go on with Linux". Fine with me. Afterwards Ive seen the "get the Linux facts" novell propaganda, and I was proud, back in the day, that one known company was stepping forward and supporting/promoting FLOSS around. But after seeing whats going on this month, i've reconsidered how you, at Novell, are seeing things. Was it all for the money, after all?? I guess you dont really care about what's going on, whos writing what, as long as you get the money. Guess what: as they said in the movie "Antitrust": "a good player knows the opponent's move before". You know whats going to happen, right? Hint: check the others signatures.
Note from Per Schröder: Former SuSE user, bought several professional versions
Note from Greg Falk: Having recently switched my 78-year-old mother from that software to Linux (Ubuntu) for security reasons, and having seen how well she adapted to it, I shudder when a major distro climbs into bed with the cause of so many problems for end-users. That company doesn't even deserve to be named, let alone deserve to have its tainted money accepted - and that by another company that no longer deserves to be named!
Note from Chris Froman: As a result of the deal, I have no choice but to remove suse from my systems. This deal betrays the very foundation in which the open source community was founded.
Note from Randal Jarrett: I have moved several small and mid sized companies to SLES and we were prepared to do the same for SLED. I myself have been running SuSe for several years. Microsoft is the Devil in the computing world as they have shown by their actions many times. You are accepting token from the Devil and the time to pay will come.
Note from Victor Rafael Rivarola Soerensen: I will no longer recommend nor use SuSE anymore. Thanks to your stupidity and Sun's recent stroke of genius, I simply would not be able to do it while keeping a strait face. I am now forced to use somebody else's machine while Manriva finishes downloading now and removes SuSE of my hard drive.
Note from Philipp Poll: Novell is a global market player just like Microsoft. It lacks any type of moral and ethic thinking that is so necessary for dealing with open source!
Note from Facile Fernand: Please Novell do not destroy the Free Software community -- if you do, we, students, will not be learn proper way of development as well as innovation
Note from Facile Fernand: Please Novell do not destroy the Free Software community -- if you do, we, students, will not be learn proper way of development as well as innovation
Note from Karen Hayes: I don't object to closed-source and proprietary software, or of companies distributing Linux having dealings with companies that produce proprietary software, but I object most strongly to companies that feel that ethics have no place in business. Whether the Novell-MS deal was made out of cynical disregard for the ethics of the situation or stupefying naievete matters not a jot, I cannot support Novell so long as this deal is in place. Damned shame, as I only started using Suse this year, having been unimpressed by previous versions, but, well, there are plenty of other distros offering paid-for support out there.
Note from Mario Vinas: At first I thought "yes, now M$ believes that you can't beat em, join em." Then reality struck. I see this as the 'dinner and a movie' before the inevitable outcome. How sad to come so cheaply and at what expense.. SHAME
Note from merlot: To Novell's Board & Shareholders: Under Mr. Hosvepian's leadership Novell has betrayed the global community of developers that built much of the technology in Novell's Suse Linux. In addition, your firm's alliance with Microsoft and the cloud of intimidation that has followed has undermined the climate for future investment in Free Software projects and technolology. Technology on which your firm also relies. No doubt this was an intended goal of the alliance and your firm and Mr. Hosvepian happily obliged in a strategy that may well be remembered as one of the most hypocritical and self-serving actions of the technology industry. Attempts by Mr. Hosvepian to now suggest ignorance of Microsoft's role in the alliance leaves one to conclude that he either lacks sufficient business maturity to lead a major enterprise or he's completely disingenuous. As a Novell shareholder we won't tolerate either and will liquidate our holdings. Further, as an investment company, and despite our admiration of Suse's technical strengths, we shall instruct our portfolio companies to cease all activity with Novell and instead use the products of your competitors. We shall only entertain a future relationship with Novell-Suse provided Novell complies fully with the spirit of Mr. Peren's Open Letter, and equally important, that Novell replaces Mr. Hosvepian and current management with a team that has the ability to restore Novell's trust.
Note from Dave Lane: I started my business to provide vendor support for Linux and other open source software in New Zealand 8 years ago. Business is booming - it's what business wants. People don't want to deal with Microsoft any more. Even non-technical business owners see that Microsoft's approach is anti-business, anti-user, and dishonest. Novell, don't allow yourself to be tarred with the same brush.
Note from Douglas Cole: I have been using SuSE since version 7.2 it was always a top notch product, I am very disappointed with this turn of events, I have seen a gradual degradation of the SuSE product since the purchase by Novell, and now with this latest event I will be migrating over to Kubuntu for all my projects and servers... This is very unfortunate for Novell.
Note from anonymousNZ: Enjoy your money while it lasts. Unlike windows users, the linux community has a choice and I'm afraid that you will no longer be anywhere near the top of the list of distros for a lot of people. It doesn't always have to be about money...
Note from Alexander Telenga: I think this is shame for Novell to cheat us all. It's play with open fire - if you sow wind, the harvest will be storm. SCO fought for their "patents", and wow: another one crusader - M$! M$ lost this battle for users. Vista is copy of Mac+Linux, so what? We want to use originals! M$ can buy Novell, but they can not buy everything. GNU is not Unix and NOT NOVELL. Do you want change this description? No, well :)
Note from Alexander Branschaedel: When I first read about that deal, I immediately started looking around for another distribution fitting to my needs. Immediately means: the same day. I hope very much that Novell will find back to the right path. Then I will think of returning to suse.
Note from David Elliott: Freedom is a most cherished gift and along with it goes a certain responsibility. May Linux users unite with a solidarity that allows no submission to any agreement with Microsoft or anyone who betrays that trust and freeness. David Elliott
Note from Marcel Miebach: Don't let Open Source die! Say NO to M$ and software patents!
Note from Paul W. Frields: I work as a consultant for small businesses, and I also advise a number of additional consultancies who are fielding production-level Linux systems for businesses themselves. We actually spend money on enterprise-grade Linux, and Novell now will no longer be considered among our options. I think it is important to note that at no time in the last 20+ years has Novell found a single great business cornerstone they didn't manage to cede to Microsoft through a combination of lack of strategic acumen and short-sighted management.
Note from Howard Felicidario: Dear Novell, Why would you want to bite the hands that feeds you?
Note from Michael Crock: I am Co-Owner of a tiny company with but a few computers, Most of them are Debian GNU/Linux 3.1 Sarge. We had Two With SUSE Linux. One of them was running SUSE Linux 9.1, the other was Novell / SUSE 10.1 Which in itself was giving me uneasy feelings and seemed to be crossing some lines. Years ago we declared Microsoft's influence and products as unfit and driven by racketeering principles and we would have nothing to do with anything they were connected to. It was a matter of integrity. Five minutes after hearing of Novell's self serving and poorly thought out alliance with that unworthy and convicted monopolistic empire known as Microsoft, I removed the hard drives of both of those computers and the following day took them to a rifle range. At two hundred yards they were consigned to the scrapheap of history with prejudice and resolve. Now all of our computers run Debian GNU/Linux 3.1 Sarge. We will not be a battery of revenue stream to Microsoft or to any organization driven by proxy or otherwise by their racketeering influence. Never.
Note from Marcos Daniel Marado Torres: The agreement made affects negativelly all Free Software users and developers, those that made something like this possible in the first way. Please consider our oppinion on the matter.
Note from Peter Harrison: I agree with the sentiment of this petition, that Novell have perhaps been naieve in the belief that being seen to support Microsoft's patent claims would not been seen as a trecherous act. However, at the same time I don't believe Novell has materially changed anything real. Those that were covered by Novell's indemnity before are still covered. Those that were not covered could are just as vulnerable to patent suits as before the agreement. The only real thing that happened was that Novell traded some legal risk for its leading position as a open source supporter. Time will tell whether the deal is worth it.
Note from Karl R. Steenblik: Totally Blindsided by your company. New Ubuntu network up and running smooth. PCLinuxOS is looking good for desktops in the future. Thin clients will be on my radar screen soon. As you can see GPL software will continue, but SUSE has been put on the bench. Enjoy watching while other groups continue to play on the field. Did you think about the user base of your products. You need a great user community in order for your products to improve. I offer computer help to those I come in contact with, but not with Microsoft Products and now Novell has been added to the list. When someone is looking for help with SUSE I will now direct them on how to install other products that I will offer free support for. No more free support for new Linux users with Open SUSE. You see you have just got FORKED yourselves to the side show. With GNU we have options and we will use them.
Note from matthew saunders: Clear FUD. And wrong in principle. The agreement never should have taken place and should certainly be disparaged.
Note from John Reynolds: I hope Novell uses the money to buy the burial plot next to SCO... they will need it now that they have turned their backs on the community that uses it products. I will not be recommending or using Novell/SuSE products for the foreseeable future.
Note from Alexander Vyborny: I can see that there will be no end to the attempts to build something REALLY FREE (like HURD the Kernel?), so as there - always! - will be someone who will be trying to make a quick buck on someone else's dreams. The real victims are those who were putting so much effort in writing, coding, translating, designing, testing and refining of SuSE... Well, I am sitting in front of Fedora Core 6 box (switched from Ubuntu 2 days ago), knowing from FC6 "sponsors" that I am allowed to use it for I will test on myself some "new ideas" (to find their BUGS, that is) so it will be safe to put them into RHEL, so RedHat could further compete with... whoever. I can't complain, to be completely honest, because my second box is running CenOS4 (I hope everyone has got my drift)... Stallman was right, isn't he? I will not search for quote, but I know for sure: "There is no such thing as being a *little bit* pregnat"! Everyone is free to decide what Linux is all about: being Free (as... whatever) or getting free MSWindows replacement. Because with latter, it will lead to Redmond (every "software" road leads there in this case). How many of Good Ol' RPM-based distros aren't commercial ones? Now, try to believe that it all wasn't a try to get a piece of Market! Well, SuSE ist Kaput! Who's next? RHEL?
Note from Thomas McNeely: The authors of Linux have generously given their product away freely with the sole condition that beneficiaries of this generosity not try to interfere with the ability of others also to benefit from it. This generosity is what made it possible for Novell to salvage itself in the post-NetWare era. Now Novell's patent agreement with Microsoft is treachery against Novell's own benefactors. Novell is making the world a worse place in which to create, do commerce, and live. I look forward to Novell making this situation right, or else seeing you reap what you have sown.
Note from Alex Thomson: 100% agree with letter. Will not be using or recommending Novell products in the future.
Note from Nigel Marsh: I am disappointed in the Novell/Microsoft deal and feel as though I have been stabbed in the back by a once trusted and highly thought of leader in the GNU/Linux commercial sector. The honour of being our virtualization base, providing infrastructure and network border security services now goes to Debian. R.I.P SUSE :(
Note from Brian Burke: Having been in the computer business for 20 years I have seen Microsoft become increasingly arrogant and agressive in it's quest for industry domination. This especially includes "polluting the standards". What Novell has attempted to do is leverage themselves into a position of "genuine" Microsoft-Linux compatibility and impunity from litigation. This is a farce at best, and a slap in the face to those in the open-source community who have done the REAL work on the many components of Linux. I will from this day forward avoid recommendation of any Novell product to my customers, especially Suse Linux. This was a good product, but I can no longer recommend it due to Novell's "flip-flopping. Red Hat has proven themselves to be much more ethical and consistant towards the community and customers that feed them. Good Riddance Novell...
Note from Raf Pauwels: I thank Novell for all they've done to the open-source community, but now it's time to say goodbye. And, oh yes, USE="-mono".
Note from Don Whitbeck: I see this agreement as a veiled threat by Microsoft against open source software in general.
Note from Steve Tompkins-MacQueen: As a small fish in a big pond that mostley programs for fun and gaining knolige we must be free. Sorry for the spelling I am dislex......
Note from Raimund Eimann: I've been using SuSE Linux since version 5.1, I wrote my MSc with 7.3, right now I'm using 10.0 for my PhD. Whatever my future project will be, I will refrain from using Novell/SuSE remarketed software ask long as Novell searches its allies at the wrong end of the spectrum.
Note from Howard Owen: It saddens me to witness the demise of a Linux distribution that once dominated outside the US. I'm particularly downcast when I consider the promise that the combination of SuSE and Ximian represented. And Novell has done so much that benefits the communities that produce SuSE Linux, I can't help but think that the consequences of the Microsoft "peace of mind" deal on relations with those communities just wasn't sufficiently thought through. Please reconsider your actions. Find a way out of this cul-de-sac, and rejoin the free software mainstream. We will miss your energy and goodwill, otherwise.
Note from Ron Niessen: Mr. Hovsepian, I am very sorry to hear about your monstrous patent agreement with Microsoft. I have not been a SuSE user, but I have been a fan and user of Mono. Now it seems to me that the only hope for keeping Mono free of patent issues and free of influence from Microsoft, is that it be forked and re-licensed with GPLv3.
Note from Antonio Lima-Guimaraes: TRUST: Hard to Earn, Easy to Lose!
Note from Mike Choy: As a user and recommender on a personal and professional basis of Linux options, the Novell and Microsoft agreement has really dissapointed me. Open Source and Linux is all about choice. I chose to use SuSE, I never ever chose to use Microsoft, yet I find I HAVE to use MS products on a daily basis at work. Now I feel that I am being forced to use SuSE and while the product has not changed I'm not feeling very comfortable with it. Novell do the right thing and really listen to your customers.
Note from Alastair David Jenkins: Free software licensed under the GPL and other free licences has been of great value to me, both in my professional career and in private activities. It is a great pity to learn that Novell, sucessor to SuSE, who very generously sponsored the development of the excellent ALSA sound driver for Linux and its creator Jaroslav Kysela, has taken this disastrously unwise step.
Note from Jörg Lippmann: This is a bad step for Linux and free software. I'm using (K)Ubuntu from now on.
Note from Ilya Shpan'kov: Money is a good thing, but not the best. The real people and their work is more important than big revenue.
Note from Mikael Lindberg: Stay with old software doesnt sound good! Switch to new! Dump those idi*tic guys from MS
Note from nataraj Subramanian: Mr. Hovsepian you have been a traitor to the Goodwill that binds the Free Software Community, blinded by your greed. you have chosen to alienate yourself from Us by your foolishness. If you want to rise above microsoft, as you have always wanted, fight it with the spirit of FOSS. do not dare to use FOSS!
Note from Darryl Dixon: Novell. Mono was just starting to look like a useful, usable technology. What a shame that you have forever poisoned it now. What a waste.
Note from stephen donadson: I am also a Silver Partner who was working towards Linux Specialisation. At this time I have halted any move to support Novell Linux with my business clients.
Note from Scott Forbis: I would just like to say, as a systems administrator and a business owner, I was seriously considering buying SLES 10 for my servers, due to such a positive experience with SLES 9, and the fact that it wasn't Red Hat. I would like you to know that I've chosen the next release of Debian to be my main distribution. As a company Novell, I have watched you since the 3.x days grow and folly and rise again. I rooted for you once to become the powerhouse that you once were again, now I wish you the same fate as SCO. Microsoft backed SCO and lost, I hope that happens to you as well.
Note from Miguel Angel Rasero Peral: I am very angry with this situation :|, i was an suse user, i was, no more, byes suse.
Note from David Tenser: Everyone make mistakes sometimes. I just hope Novell is able to correct this terrible mistake.
Note from Greg T Hill: Im just another fool who supported Novell by buying boxed sets of SuSE and recommending it to his friends. I had just downloaded and installed Novell's SLED, when I found out about the M$/Novell deal. I have since replaced SuSE with Kubuntu, and SLED with Fedora. If anyone is interested in forking SuSE, I would be interested in supporting that.
Note from Yan Fitterer: Open Source has taught me _most_ of what I know in the computing world. For free. And has put in front of me code which at more often than not stands heads and shoulder above what I have seen in the closed-source, proprietary world. If Novell will not appreciate the true value that comes out of GNU/Linux and the free libre software movement, it does not deserve to succeed in the Linux market. I cross my fingers in hope that the Linux kernel goes to GPL v3 from day one!
Note from David Henneman: A paying SuSE Linux user since version 6, about to switch.
Note from Rafa Griman: I've been (faithfully) using SUSE Linux since 5.x. I had a great opportunity (and time) working with SUSE, then for Novell. It's a shame Novell has done this to the Linux Community. Novell has great technology, shame Mr. Hovsepian doesn't know what do do with it :( Novell, don't let Microsft keep on bullying you, you know better than that. You kept your stand with SCO, why don't you do the same with Microsoft? Well, it's a pitty but I guess I'll have to start looking for another distro. I truly hope GPL/LGPL 3 is a great success. As we say in Spain: "Poderoso caballero es Don Dinero".
Note from Peter Allan: Legal inhibition on the use of decades-old, frequently obvious and independently-produced techniques is wrong. It would be like me claining to have invented left and right turns while driving a car - and trying to charge you for doing them. And right turns with the window wound down - I covered that in an additional patent!
Note from Tim Russell: Where to start? As a long time Netware admin, I've used Netware from 3.1 days to current (and SuSe Linux off and on since the 6.x days).I have found the last 6 to seven years less satisfying. Ask any netware admin if they are happy about having to use as many as 3 different admin utilities to get anything done? Netware Administrator was okay, then came ConsoleOne (which was supposed to run on multiple platforms via Java and replace Netware Administrator), and finally iManager which was supposed to replace ConsoleOne. Unfortunately, none of them ever fulfilled their promise (broken, missing features, slow) and many admins still use all three. Now a few years after they bought SuSE Linux they partially rip out a working package manager and replace it with a broken one (OpenSuse 10.1 is obviously not the enterprise product but still...). I have to use the old package manager to update the system so the "new" one can be used? In an nutshell, Novell has been on the ropes for awhile. Novell (IMHO) was never as good at marketing as Microsoft. For awhile, they didn't have to be. They had a good reputation for solid, stable products. This seems to be eroding with every year (even before they bought SuSe). It just perplexes me that a company that has all but bet the farm on Linux would make what appears to be a VERY big blunder. Worse for them, they have a trust issue now with the community. If they find some way to opt out of the deal with Microsoft...will all those people who have already quickly removed SuSe from their workstations put it back on just as quickly? Probably not. Too bad. I have no doubt that ulitmately this is no big deal for linux or the free software movement (like spitting in the ocean). But I do think it's a big deal for Novell. I won't be recommending them anymore.
Note from Roy Amundsen: Having promoted SuSE systems for years, this has come to an end after the recent developments with Novell. We were migrating Novell netware systems to SuSE. Stopped that. There will also be no renewals. Personally, I have purchased official versions of SuSE linux since version 5.2. This has now come to an end. MS and Novell gave me an unexpected "opportunity" to finally try out the Debian (and KUbuntu) installers. I liked what I saw, I liked what I experienced, and I decided to move all my systems away from SuSE. And, no more certifications..
Note from Donald C. Parris: I am deeply disappointed to discover Mr. Hovsepian's stance on software patents. I urge Mr. Hovsepian to reconsider.
Note from Jonathan Spearman: I can't believe that a company that microsoft literaly put Novell almost out of business, would enter into an agreement that I as a user of linux did not agree to. Linux does not need microsoft's help at all and Microsoft cannot beat linux fairly, so it will use a trojan horse in order to destroy it. Microsoft has researched a way to defeat linux from within, by using patent threats that does not apply to linux. I will not purchase anymore of your products unless you destroy this agreement.
Note from Mario Kerecki: Since the Microshaft deal was announced, I immediately dumped all of Novell's products as an option to any of my customers. I am deeply disappointed in your business decision and you will most certainly feel the financial strain, or outright failure of your business for all that you've attempted to do to the open source community. You should be ashamed of yourselves for agreeing to this obnoxious proposal. -m
Note from John-Luke Peck: I believe that Open Source is 'by the people, for the people'. Let open remain open.
Note from Lukichev Denis: Like say one philosohp: "At the beginning they don't see you, next they laught (i mean smile) on you, next they fight with you and then they lose...". Now we are at the 3rd stage... P.S. Sorry for my poor english. From Russia with love :-)
Note from Stuart R. DeGraaf: Microsoft is a parasite. The think they exclusively own the rights to anything and everything. Wrong! The easy way to tell they did not have, don't have, and will not have any role in or claim on Linux is that Linux is not maximally dumbed-down like LoseDoze is. Configurability, freedom of choice, power, software development by peer review (rather than marketing hype), the scientific method, user empowerment and interoperability are all hallmarks of Linux, and the antithesis of Micro$oft. The Novell-Micro$oft claim that their agreement is about "improving interoperability" insults the intelligence of anyone possessing even a single functioning neuron and any knowledge of computing history. Linux has bent over backward to insure operability, while Microsoft actively thwarts it at every opportunity with its embrace/extend/extinguish strategies and closed-standards. The Department of Justice, were that title not an oxymoron, would come down hard on the extortionist, consistently libelous and mendacious behaviour of Microsoft. First Micro$oft funds SCO's lies, now they "play the legal card" against Linux, as was their avowed strategy in the "Halloween memos" leaked to Eric Raymond. The DoJ needs to investigate what Micro$oft has ripped off from Linux, and buried in their proprietary morass. The rest of the world embraces Free Software. If the US doesn't want to become a third-world country technically, it needs to follow suit with alacrity. I believe that Micro$oft's insatiable greed is tantamount to treason.
Note from Bob Bolin: I work in a large enterprise where we gladly pay for support contracts on our Linux servers; unless Novell alters their current path it will be easy to recommend Red Hat for every machine.
Note from Simon Hepburn: What an awful attempt to betray our community. Fortunately we fully understand the concept of choice in our ecosphere. Goodbye Novell.
Note from Paul Penn-Bixby: A Bitter Betrayal. Time to ready GPL3, an interim solution or a new FREE license altogether. What were you thinking Novell? Good move M$, below the belt sure, but hats off to you for pulling that one off!
Note from J. Lester Novros II: Microsoft has shown itself to be underhanded and untrustworthy time and again so nothing good can come of this. And that is above and beyond Novell's obvious betrayal of the the GNU/Linux developers' trust. I am abhorred and disgusted!
Note from Demis Bellot: Patent FUD is hurting America!
Note from Phil Crooker: My first fileserver was Netware 2.0a and I had been a big supporter of Novell ever since (there were some trying times of course, but on the whole Novell has been a very positive force in the industry). No more. I have been instrumental in promoting Novell in probably hundreds of companies over the years. Again, no more. Novell, you must sack this CEO and recant your agreement with Microsoft. Your goodwill with the industry is rapidly fading, you must act now, for surely this covenant will be the end of your company.
Note from John Lewis: I used to be a big fan of Novell back in the day when Microsoft couldn't write a network (or any) OS that was stable. My feeling is that with the recent changes in senior management Novell have lost their way. Certainly the patent deal is at odds with a lot of the work Novell has done and is doing. Novell will not survive cutting deals like this.
Note from Daniel Reurich: You might have received in gold, but you have paid for it with the OS communities blood sweat and tears. I will no longer deal with Novell, nor recommend Suse Linux as long as this covenant with Microsoft and the attitude that forged it remain.
Note from Victor Alarcon: When Novell took over Ximian Desktop, I noted an immediate drop in free software choices and stopped using their Gnome Desktop updates. With this recent direction that Novell is taking, we are certain to see a degrading of the Linux reputation as the true open-source alternative to Micro$oft's developer and end-user bullying.
Note from John Watts: Microsoft is once again pushing their "Embrace, Extend and Extinguish" plan now with regards to Linux. Wake up Novell before you see get extinguished!
Note from Danijel Orsolic: A great part of the GNU/Linux and Free Software community at large is bound by a common contract that is the GPL. Everyone who makes use of software under this license, for whatever purpose has to abide by those rules and even respect the spirit in which those rules were created. Corporations like Novell are becoming a part of this community once they start using GPLed software. However, when they break the rules, even in spirit, the community at large will respond and outcast that particular member. It is like a community conglomerate that you can be part of only if you respect the equity of all of its members. Novell broke this and this community is now making its powerful response. Novell, if you want to continue benefiting on the juices of Free Software, you better listen to us carefully.
Note from Robert Mariotti: Advocate of open source and Linux (SuSE) for over 10 years. The recent Novell/M$ Agreement seriously jeopardizes the efforts and hard work of hundreds and thousands of developers in one fell swoop! Shame on you Mr. Hovsepian!
Note from Jeremiah Powell: As a long-time SuSE home desktop user I signed this petition. Before, I would recommend SuSE for new desktop deployments. Now I cannot. I have not seen the exact text of the agreement between Novell and Microsoft. I cannot assuage potential customer's issues with SuSE Linux when secret agreements have been made that claim patent infringement and other crimes in SuSE. If their are patent infringement and copyright issues then the GPL has been violated with every version of SuSE released by Novell. Code I and others have developed might be tainted. If their are none, then why has 1/5 billion US$ changed hands? Why is Microsoft's Chairman claiming trouble? From OpenSuSE and SCO indemnity to this, how does the cost in credibility compare with the credit from Microsoft?
Note from Kochmarin Vyacheslav: Micro$oft - GO HOME, OPEN SOURSE - OUR TERRITORY!!!
Note from Dick Helms: Novell, like so many companies run by the greedy, will fail in the long run. The greed generation has destroyed this country, and continues to destroy businesses large and small. Hovsepian is just another example.
Note from Christopher Goss: This decision by Novell just lost our business.
Note from stephen menard: If you continue to disregard the entire linux user base; which your product is based upon; I Guarantee to suggest to all my customers to select a different supplier for all their computing needs.
Note from Tes: Hey, MS! Stop interrupt in open-source community.
Note from Jesse Welling: I understand your intentions are good, however, I can not agree with your actions.
Note from ronaldo aguila: Mr. Bruce Perens, Your letter to them will really inspire the opensource community to continue our advocacy and to shame all the proprietary software maker. Thank you for your courageous act and support to our community. Mabuhay KA!
Note from Joe: I feel sad that Novell sees it necessary to join business with the company whose ideals and actions may of us so despise. It's sad because, Novell was a great networking company that was humiliated numerously by MS in the past, to see them now being made a tool to fight against other Linux distributions adds to the humiliation. It is like MS spreading filth and excrement along a footpath, sprinkling the mess liberally with dollar notes, and then watching how Novell executives on their knees struggle to collect the money. Gates & Co, in the background, are sipping champaign and are having generally a real great time. Joe Schaefer, Sydney Australia
Note from John Maartens: Novell was going into the good direction, thanks for all the great things you brought to the Linux community like Mono, Compiz and Hula but it seems things changed a little. Feels like a good friend running away with your wife.
Note from Elwin Andriol: I am still wondering if it has been utter naiveness that Novell did not expect Microsoft to use this deal for their anti-competitive campaign, or that it has been sheer greed and an ignorant believe that the FOSS community won't have much impact on your finances? Even in the case of naiveness, I feel Novell remains in large part responsible for the fall-out of this deal, for the reason that it could have easily known Microsoft's agenda if it had obtained advise from either the FOSS community or the Groklaw community. Rest assured that this deal has stopped me from giving people the advice to do business with Novell. In fact, after the news of this deal, I started to urge people to boycott Novell instead.
Note from D Guy Cadieux: Mr. Ron Hovsepian, What exactly makes you think you can trust Microsoft for anything? We're a talking about a company known for stealing others patented technology and then paying them off years later in court. Don't you remember Stacker et al? Based on Microsoft's ongoing interactions with the European Commission, what makes you think Microsoft has turned over a new leaf? Seriously.
Note from Joe Theuerkauf: I have been working with openSUSE as my production OS at work, and was hoping that future developments from Novell would make it possible to migrate our PCs away from the increasing cost of Windows to equivalent software in Linux. However, the Novell/Microsoft agreement raises too many red flags for me to trust Novell to keep its customers' best interests in mind. It's already been demonstrated that Microsoft has a very aggressive and predatory attitude toward competing software, and to see a major distribution of free software now pandering to that predation will lead me to seek other solutions for Linux-based software. I've even favored Netware for many years over Windows Active Directory, but now it seems likely that even those technologies will not remain distinct or independent.
Note from Kent Bolton: Shocking, short term greed is not a good business mdel when you are using the open source work of others. Wake up to Microsoft's intentions and start thinking about the company's future rather than your Christmas bonus.
Note from Brian J.K. Bowhan: I have seen for years the terrible damage Microsoft has dealt to the ability of people to simply own the equipment they have paid for. I have also seen, time and time, the destruction of equivalent and even superior software to benefit themselves. Since its Linux entries, I had hoped Novell would be a powerful force against Microsoft, but now I believe they have joined the darkness of Redmond. In Memorial, Corell, Caldera, 'old'SCO, Novell.
Note from Luis Felipe Carvajal Arévalo: Open knowledge is the only means to make mankind evolve. Free software signals a path of rapid evolution towards a brighter future for all of us.
Note from Luis: The freedom is a valor that nobody can sell
Note from Steven Robinson: You have received your thirty pieces of silver from the devil and thereby demonstrated your stand on the legitimacy of software patents. You have joined the enemy in the most important battle of all.
Note from Venkatesh Hariharan: The whole notion of "intellectual property" has been carried too far. In Indian traditions of knowledge, the words "intellect" and "property" are rarely used together in the same sentence. Knowledge of yoga, meditation, ayurveda etc are free and open to all irrespective of caste, creed and financial status. It is inevitable that when a blunt weapon like "intellectual property" is created, someone or the other will be tempted to use it to bully others. In the world of software, patents only end up doing more harm than good. Harvard professors, Adam B. Jaffe and Josh Lerner bring out the perils of the current system in their book "Innovation and Its Discontents: How Our Broken Patent System is Endangering Innovation and Progress, and What to Do About It." Those interested can download a sample chapter from: pup.princeton.edu/chapters/i7810.html Recommended reading! I have written an article on Indian traditions of knowledge which is up on my blog at: http://osindia.blogspot.com/2006/11/society-that-shares-indias-traditions.html Venky
Note from Vladimir: -=:[nux]:=-
Note from A J Holdsworth: For years, SuSE was my favourite distro - and by a wide margin. Like others, I gladly bought the retail versions to support its development, even when money was tight. No more. Novell's actions in this matter are disgusting and I want nothing to do with them.
Note from Michael Bunzel: Novell has not only betrayed the entire community but also made a bad business decision. In OSS you don't grow or fall like in any other industry; it's the community that will get you money, not your business partners. Some CEO might make the purchasing decision but it's certainly not them suggesting to buy Linux and recommending what to buy.
Note from Edward R Swart: All I can say is that the need for Novell to act as suggested is a case of honour.
Note from Slava-Soft: I am SlavaSoft and i NOT FRIEND OF MS!
Note from ivanvlds: I have been a very legal SuSE Linux user who has been promoting it´s use at enterprise as a viable and powerfull platform, especially since version 10.1. But since i heard this stuff about patents, i keep my self reading all mayor linux information sites almost every day. And this is because i have beginning thinking for the first time in move from SuSE to perhaps Fedora or Ubuntu. I still have hopes that Novell make pace with the community and turn back at least the UNNECESARY patent agreement. But still thinking about it....
Note from Sergey Semenov: Novell is choose bad way and bad friends. Main friands of Linux is open source community and GPL. Not MS and patents! If Novell reverse from open source community, community stay alive, but if open source community reverse from Novell... MS is NOT aid Novell...
Note from Yuri: Windows and Novell have started a dirty game. There will be no good result. Novell will lose respect of its consumers. Open Source communities should remain.
Note from William F Richardson: Goodbye, SuSE.
Note from dan anderson: I appreciate what Novell's done for the Open Source in the past, but patents abuse must be stopped.
Note from Andrei: I was using SuSE for a time, now I wouldn't use it more.
Note from Brandon Sewell: suse always has been a better than average distro. there are better, but for a new user it has always been a good choice. so in the spirit of the holidays, i wish your company a quick painless demise.
Note from Shadx: It's seems to me that Novell died for me ...
Note from Alan Purchase: Migrating my home systems from Suse to Ubuntu
Note from Marius Szabad: Microsoft has nothing to offer to linux, Linux does not need microsoft...i'm a suse linux user/fun for more that 4 years, i miss the old suse (icluding the board), this hole deal it's like a pact with the devil...
Note from Jeff Quast: Well Novell, rather than earn your place in the Linux community, you purchased it. Now you have sold your place in the Linux community, and I doubt anyone is sorry to see you leave. Spend your dirty money wisely, there will be no more.
Note from Mark Andrew: does money trump principles?
Note from Luis Alberto D'Ardis: gpl v3 gonne be here really soon this time, m$ da night's near for ya
Note from Stefano Spinucci: Novell ins't part of the FOSS community anymore.
Note from isaac sampier: Novell please stop going against the GPL.
Note from francois: Screw microsoft
Note from Allen Quinn: In the past, I have lobbied hard for the purchase of Novell/Suse products. No longer. Open Source cannot be wedded to Open Fleece.
Note from John Thornhill: Another attempt at Globalization,Hey people there are to many of us small folk who will buck you all the way.
Note from Americo Iacovizzi: The "Brinding the divide" is causing a "Division in the union" of Open Source/free software.
Note from Stefan Kaysersberg: Let's put it this way: if you need to ask a lawyer whether what you do is "right" or not, you are morally corrupt. Let's not go there. We don't base our morality on law.
Note from Rainer Schuermann: Novell is taking the role that Lenin described as that of the "useful idiot" - somebody whom Microsoft will use for its purposes and then dump. Bad management that does not see the simple facts because of short term money gain!
Note from Bruce Nelson: The 'Trust' has gone, I am using my 'freedom' of choice to avoid Novell/SUSE products.
Note from Paul Rodda: Is anyone honestly surprised that Novell climbed into bed with M$? Globalisation and corporate survival predispose suits and shareholders to seek paths of perceived safety and profit. Methinks Novell will survive this one, but aligning yourself with M$ as a survival tactic smacks very much of an utter lack of originality (how very M$!) and an attempt at opportunism (also very M$ - only Bill and the Boys did well at this). A sad day, Novell, a sad day for you. Perhaps the board at Novell need to take some golden handshakes and open up Golden Arches franchises ... that's about the level of corporate creativity they have demonstrated.
Note from Franco Lanza: This agreement by novell is the most dangerous action thinked and done by MS against linux community and free software. Novell, you are destroying the glorious name os Suse GNU/Linux.
Note from Tapani Hyvönen: Linux did put the fun back to computing. You pretty much took it away.
Note from charles bernard pino: The Best Things in Life are Free.lets keep it that way.
Note from Angelo Talignani: Lugger of LUG Parma-Italy
Note from Marco Pennelli: After SCO, now an other attempt versus Free Software...
Note from Marco Pennelli: After SCO, now an other attempt to block Free Software...
Note from Roderick Allan M. Baylon: <?php $money = 'Microsoft'; echo $money . ' is the root of all evil'; ?>
Note from Ivan Vlasov: Only Free (freedom) soft can help you save privacy in digital world. Network administrator, Gentoo Linux user.
Note from Damjan Jovanovic: This is my first comment ever on this issue. It's all very uncertain... which is exactly why I've already advised my friends and the system administrator at work not to use any Novell product, and this will continue until the deal ends.
Note from Kjell Andersson: I think Novell will end up short in this deal. Or can any of you point me to a company that has done a deal with microsoft and propered afterwards ?
Note from Vladimir: I never disliked the products of novell company, now I exactly will not use them. Novell betrayed linux and OpenSorce Kobets Vladimir System administrator and programmer from UA
Note from Stanislav Karchebny: Trusting Microsoft in hope to earn some "easy money" is silly if not to say stupid. Betraying Open source community in hope to earn some "easy money" will not stand for long and surely not help Novell. If Novell is to survive, it's better change its practices and turn TO open software developers instead of AGAINST them.
Note from Martin Kouřim: So long, and thanks for all the fish.
Note from Marco Vaccari: Il nostro Paese, l'Italia, e la nostra industria non possono rischiare la paralisi o la dipendenza da organizzazioni di paesi stranieri concorrenti. Deve essere nostro impegno e urgenza evitare tutto cio'. It is now my commitment to promote in Confindustria the evident of this threat.
Note from Catalin-Adrian Silasi: While striving for interoperability between Linux and Windows* is a good thing, giving weight to Microsoft's claims of patent infringement before they are even tested is very bad. Long term it will not help anyone but Microsoft itself. Novell cannot afford to forget how Microsoft behaved with respect to NetWare.
Note from Stephen W. Hurst: I have switched from SuSE to Fedora, and look forward to GPL3.
Note from Michele Bottari - Zeus News: Novell is the oddest brick in Free Software building. Please, leave Free Software, and get away.
Note from Balázsi Szilárd: Embrace, expand, extinguish. One would have thought that Novell already learned it's lesson. Guess not. But if they need to learn the hard way, leave open source out of it!!!
Note from Björn Lydeen: I guess I shouldn't even be lifting an eybrow because of these actions from Microsoft, Steve Ballmer et al. They're FUDding along as usual. Well, this is an area where they actually are innovative. I'll give them that. But you Novell? You actually got "Mono" even before kissing and making up with Microsoft. I wonder what you'll contract next. A votre santé!
Note from Kent Solomon: Your customers clearly embrace the philosophy behind free software, and so must you. I urge you in the strongest way possible to change your stance on software patents.
Note from Hanno Behrens, free software developer, project leader: I dont like to bash Novell for this. Not yet - strong Linux companies are useful - if they respect the ideas they depend on. I hope they have just been fooled by Ballmer with this dirty trick. I'm not someone that says: Novell collaborates with the enemy. What enemy? A company is never an enemy but for one reason: it tries to steal something that belongs to the public. Like simple ideas or trivial algorithms. Asozial behavior must not be tolerated or the world of software development will take serious harm - of all software development, not just the free one. I hope Novell doesnt betray the community and ideas they depend on. Or the community will find an answer. These patents are stupid. I'm a developer. There are my ideas, my software out there they try to claim (very few, but there are). We are not in the wild west anymore. No software-claims for the new miners fortyniners and their sues. An other time Microsoft shows, you can not make deals with them. They are evil, therefor dont use their stuff, dont make deals with them. Sometimes its that simple. Withdraw from them, Novell. There is nothing to win for you, if MS tries it this way.
Note from kim hermansson: Novell, I didn't think you would sink so deep.
Note from Irfan Faruki: I love open source and want to keep things the way they are. MS, Novell... Take you hands off it
Note from Oliver Jones: I have to hand it to Ballmer. He's managed to kill off SuSE for a few million, which means absolutely nothing to Microsoft, but considerably more to all of us. SuSE will be killed - not by a lawsuit, oh no - but by turning its own customers against it: This is the death of a thousand cuts. As far as Linux and the Open Source world is concerned, I would like to see GPL v3 adopted as soon as possible - for all open source products. I know that Linus and a few others don't like the DRM aspects of the GPL - but this has now become a matter of survival. I personally don't care too much about Linux if it gets sued under - I run Solaris 10 x86, anyway - but I use a lot of open source software, and I like the *choice* of running Solaris rather than Linux ... instead of being forced.
Note from Andrey Meganov: Novell, it's not too late. I undestand, that's too much for your budget....
Note from Philippe Andersson: I started my career as NetWare network administrator (around v.3.11, I guess), started using Linux in 1995 and became a faithful SuSE user around v6.1. I had great expectations from the acquisition of SuSE by Novell, and the quality of their distribution and the reputation of their support service made me recommend and deploy SLES in the company I work for without hesitation. But I'm also a Free Software developper and advocate, and the recent deal between Novell and MS smells at best like an incredibly risky proposition, at worst like outright treason. I don't believe I will recommend SLES again in the future if the present situation stands. I strongly urge Novell to reconsider, keeping in mind that the "community" that so unanimously finds this deal distasteful is largely composed of those same people that will recommend them as tech. providers in the corporate world... or not.
Note from David L. Craig: I still can't believe this. Clearly Linux audio is in for some serious housecleaning. Why are you trying to inject proprietary IP into OSS? I do not believe you can undo the damage you have done to yourselves and the community.
Note from Gord Berta: I'm not sure whom to trust less. This just confirmed my choice to turn 100% to apple. I want to be able to use my computer for what it is entended for, and not worry about who's going to stab me in the back (or demand money)next. Linux helped me get rid of the need for Microsoft, Novell has helped me loose all interest in Linux.
Note from Kieron Wilkinson: I've always liked SuSE, but Ubuntu is looking really good right now...
Note from Wouter Moors: I really thought Novell was getting there... Too bad. R.I.P. Suse
Note from William S Fulton: Novell, respect and work with the community, not against it.
Note from Jim D Eadon: In the future I shall recommend people move away from Novel products, particularly Suse, in favour of alternative Linux distributions. (I already boycott Microsoft products). Microsoft is a morally reprehensible corporation with an openly declared ambition to hinder and damage the open source community and software. Novel have sided with the devil. The software patent threats against Linux by Balmer on the back of this imfamous Novel deal are yet another reason why the EU should continue to reject software patents. Microsoft are behaving like The Mafia. Novel have betrayed the people.
Note from Marko Junker: Novelle, here what Microsoft say in the newsletters. That is always against OpenSource, the OpenSource-Community and GPL. I´only use Windows when I have to do it. And now I did it too with Novelle Suse until you become more respectable. cu
Note from John Yeary: Please reconsider your position with Microsoft. No company who has partnered with Microsoft has been successful. Microsoft will end up destroying the company. The timing of this and the recent death of Noorda seem to be perfectly timed. Mr. Noorda would have never been part of this death knell agreement.
Note from Ben Hegarty: This type of action is typical of the underhanded and sly business practices of Microsoft and the fact that Novell has decided to join them in these practices is nothing short of 'selling your soul to the devil'.
Note from Steven Ottenhoff: Be black or white, but don't pretend to be black or white
Note from Uwe Appel: I have already switched to Ubuntu! Its great! :)
Note from Jason Smith: Novell has sided with the enemy for monetary gains. Although their time of power has long since passed, they will make no new friends by sleeping in the enemy's bed.
Note from Floris Kraak: Ron, you said you only heard outrage from 1 out of 5 groups that are important to Novell: customers, partners, investors, employees, and the community. But that sentence alone betrays ignorance: These 5 groups are not separate; Instead, they are 4 groups, overarched by one thing: community. Alienating the community is alienating your customers, partners, investors and employees. The customers will start leaving. The employees won't always speak up - such is the nature of being employed - but the most valuable ones are looking for alternative employment. The partners - foremost Microsoft - are just as deluded as you are, or looking to jump ship. The investors don't care, they just see short term - money. Once the money goes - and it will follow the community - the investors will leave too. Because you haven't seen the long term effects yet you think there won't be any. I respectfully disagree.
Note from Achim Gehr: I will never use any products from novell and suse anymore.
Note from Archon Magnus: In the past, I have favored SuSE over many of the other Linux distros. Sadly, not any longer. This weekend I have been switching distrubutions on all my systems. Goodbye Novell. In the future, it would be prudent to present a forum for the Linux community to give its input on such issues. It is by the proverbial "sweat-of-their-backs" that you have a commodity anyway.
Note from Rick Timmis: We already left fold when Novell bought SuSE AG and decided that Adaptive must sever its partnership alliance. We were in the process are joining Novell as a partner to promote Suse Enterprise Linux to our clients. Unfortunately I can no longer recommend this course of action to our company or our clients. I strongly urge Novell to reconsider its strategy.
Note from Jay Weiner: As a Linux end user I use openSUSE 10.1. Since Novell has made this deal with M$, I will not be using the upcoming openSUSE 10.2. I will be using Fedora Core6 or Ubuntu. Why don't you learn from all the other companies that tried to make deals with M$ for short term gains and are now gone due to those deals.
Note from Jan Panteltje: It seems a bit like the maffia, offering you 'protection', or else they may sue, they make you pay up for a Novell distro. Even if you wrote some of the programs they sell. MS = Maffia Style?
Note from Craig White: I haven't been using SuSE but this ensures that I never will
Note from Ross Cameron: I personally make a living out of re-engineering Open Source software into embedded systems and specialized router systems. YET I am 100% committed to the Open Source mentality and ALWAYS without fail make my work available to ANY and ALL that are interested. If they are willing to pay for my time I'll even tell you EXACTLY how I produce the systems I create. I am proud to call myself an Open Developer, and if ANYONE wants me to break these principles I would rather loose the customer (and the income) than harm my brothers in arms that work incalculable hours to produce the magnificent code they do. Novell PLEASE reconsider,... you have no idea the harm you are about to inflict on the single biggest friend you could ever ask for (the Open Source community)
Note from Tim Chittka: totally agree
Note from Popov Dmitry: I do not consider, that paid products with the closed code should leave. However, how many young, talented programmers have brought up OpenSource only in Russia? I do not think, that these programmers now beggars. Besides "piracy" in relation to OpenSource is almost inapplicable (if only from large bigwigs). It is a pity, if Novell will go on this path.
Note from Colin Paul Adams: Member of the W3C's XSLT Working Group
Note from Steffen Wittum: Let`s make a better world with a new understanding of freedom, loyality and a future for an ALLMENDE of science, technology, trust and human kindness.
Note from Julio C. Ortega: If you translate no-vell to spanish it could be something like the phrase "it doesn't see", it's ironic that novell's name it's so close to reality that they cannot see the big mistake they have made making this covenant. I sincerely hope that all Free Software Authors with SuSe versions of their software ask for novell to remove their proyects from their varios SuSe versions.
Note from Markus Schell: I can not agree with Novell and their agreement with Microsoft. I am a user of the boxed SuSE Linux until today. Novells acting is a shooting against all open source projects. If they do not act to protect ALL Linux-versions i will think over about changeing to another distribution.
Note from Guy Boisvert: As i'm a technical adviser and a solution provider, today is the end of SuSE in my recommendations. More than that, i will make sure that all my clients will push out softwares from a company that just made a huge mistake and demonstrates such a high disregard for ethics. Novell and SuSE is out of our Folio and we'll never trust Novell again. Period. We all know how dirty are the guys from Redmond, now Novell has join their camp. One little note to both of you: You will never control the planet and at the end, you're fighing the best programmers in the world that will easily outsmart lawyers that never wrote a single line of code...
Note from Andreas Guse: I was a Novell-user - but I'm no longer. Novell is a disgrace to the Free Software community!
Note from Heiko Weinen: Resisting and detaining Free Software is futile!
Note from Steve Russell: Steve Russell
Note from martin yazdzik: fronti nulla fides - either intellectual property is given freely or protected, and whilst none dispute the right to protect, the right to give freely needs to be protected.
Note from Peter Obushak: To Microsoft: Put Up or Shut Up! For me you are becoming tedious. To Novel: I think you may find your pact with the FLOSS Devil may back-fire on you. I am just getting into GNU/Linux and am determined to change over to it from Windows. At least now there is one less GNU/Linux Distro (SUSE) I need to check out. I was converted to FLOSS because the software was as good as and sometimes better than pay2use software and I agree with the FLOSS philosophy. Even hinting that it is illegal to use FLOSS has pit me against you. In time I hope your company will become an example of how not to behave in the FLOSS world.
Note from Christian Ullrich: I have always been a supporter of SuSE Linux. I have purchased, not downloaded, every single release for the past four years, maybe more. Now, however, Novell have made it impossible for me to continue using SuSE, because the only direct way I can show my disgust about their pact with Microsoft is to stop giving them money, and the only way not to be contaminated with Microsoft's "covenant" is to not use SuSE anymore. I would like to thank Novell for taking SuSE away from me. Good job, folks.
Note from Ezra John Miller: I thought that Novell was a great company until now. I'm using Suse linux 10.1, and I might switch over to Ubuntu for good if the deal with MS sticks.
Note from Andreas Matthus: Novell will be wreck the freedom of GPL. I don't like a deal with a enemy of open interfaces (i. e. smb).
Note from Sebastian James: I'm personally sorry that Novell have managed to mess up their involvement with the free software community. I was impressed with what was being done at Novell and we as a company were putting a lot of effort into promoting Mono as a platform and Novell SuSE as an OS. Novell has demonstrated a lack of understanding of the free software and open source community and I believe it will suffer as a result of this.
Note from Dion Dennis: Any similarities between Steve Balmer and Rush Limbaugh (in terms of physiology, rhetorical tactics or the creation of unintended and undesired consequences for said personages) is purely serendipitous.
Note from Liviu Damian: I used SUSE Linux for 2 years as my only OS, as a packaging station, as a multimedia system and I also did recommendations to my clients to use SUSE on their server as long as on their desktops. A while ago, about a month after the release of 10.1, I began to switch to OpenBSD as my dev OS and to WinXP as my gaming OS (sometimes I need to relax a bit ;) ). About 1 month ago, I decided to involve in the SUSE community again by packaging software and about 1 week ago they gave me a Build Service account... I don't give a hoot about that account! If Novell wants to dance with Ballmer, I'd suggest to develop a new OS, or help Microsoft with the development of Windows and leave Linux alone. In my personal opinion, I think MS will "donate" some of their code to some opensource projects, and after their agreement will end, Microsoft will begin to sue users and developers! Beside, this agreement is immoral!
Note from salvatore .G: salvatore giambrone
Note from Christopher A. Williams: While I can not speak for my employer, there are many I know who share the opinion this agreement is bad for the community. I have been a contributor to FOSS projects for many, many years. I deal with Microsoft professionally on a regular basis and am certain this agreement is but an example of their latest attempts to maintain their monopoly power. Novell's selfish acts instantly moved SLED/SLES to the bottom of my recommended distro list. Shame on you, Novell.
Note from Dr. Lachlan McNeill: We are a company with more than 800 machines and more than 1200 servers. Novel, you have just lost us as a client. Based on your actions, you have been taken off the evaluation list.
Note from arnuld fraser: i was thinking of downloading the OpenSUSE to use. after reading this i chose BLAG Linux. i will never recommend OpenSUSE to anyone. it si a threat so i will resond to it by contributing to "copyleft" sofwtares only.
Note from Tobias Bloedorn: Dear Mr. Hovsepian: I would like to call your attention to several partnerships in the past where Microsoft ended the deal with either crippling litigation, or outright strongarming. You may want to consider this as you move forward with your decisions to partner with microsoft. I don't recall a single instance where any company has benefitted from a partnership with Microsoft.
Note from Shane Richards: Over ten years of Linux development - I will be relicensing my contributions to GPL3 to prevent this from happening again, and to prevent your usage of said code in the future. And no, I won't be telling you my psuedonym/contributed code...yet. How dare you!
Note from Ansgar Freking: I'm very disapointed about Novells activities and will try to use alternatives to Novell Products.
Note from Carol Gilbert: I am happy to give Bruce whatever support I can. It's not just his battle to keep software open.
Note from Michal Rucinski: i don't believe in such a marriage if u dont want to fight with someone, u'd better join him. it's Microsoft's strategy, i think.
Note from Raul Castillo: I hate Microsoft
Note from Fabio Avallone: Microsoft non può monopolizzare anche linux e violare la GPL!!! :( Il sistema GNU/Linux è libero per tutti e sempre lo sarà. :)
Note from Boris Gomolka: I am really shocked by Novells preposterous behaviour that offends all public interesst in free software.
Note from Frederick Noronha: Shame, Novell!
Note from max: Free Software 4ever.
Note from Thomas B.: I've always recommended SuSE linux to anyone looking for a well polished, stable distro with an intuitive interface. SuSE is are hard act to follow. If Novell continues the way they are going, *and* if anything comes of the FUD Microsoft is currently employing, I will have no choice but to abondon all Novell products. The decision would not only be based in principle, but also on the question of whether Novell has the ability to make good decisions for the community both as an Open Source contributor, and advocate.
Note from Robert M. Stockmann: This turns out to be a very delicate and sensitive issue, where things do matter. As i started with Linux and Open Source in 1993 and was pleasantly surprised by how the Open Source community works, I think we can not afford or allow to back down on this one.
Note from joshua bacher: i think that novell is wrong.
Note from Jeffrey Welk: I too wondered whether Novell would be good or bad for SuSE, and now I see my initial fears are confirmed. A dying old horse selling itself to the glue factory and trying to sell the rest of us out with them. My decision to switch all our desktops/servers to Ubuntu/Debian is now an easy decision to make. So long Novell, thanks for all the fish....
Note from A M Street: Mr Hovsepian, have you and your staff not learned from the SCO EV1 fiasco or the treatment meted out to Microsoft's "partners"? The only ones smiling here are 'billg' and his minions. Shame on you!
Note from Oliver Kullmann: I used Suse Linux starting with version 6.2, and the computer science department is using it as the default Linux platform; as a result of Novell now also joining the patent madness (the main purpose of it is to hinder progress, so that some can take advantage of the lack of progress) this will change.
Note from Allen Schaaf: I've used SUSE on and off since I bought 6.0. (Still have the box with the docs and disk.) No more. When you shake hands with the devil watch out you don't get burned, any fool knows that, but then I guess Novell thinks they are not fools. More fools, they.
Note from Ken Jennings: Software Engineer, Linux/Unix Systems Consultant
Note from Jean-Yves Pelletier: I discovered Linux through SuSE and I was glad to buy it to support freedom and get rid of M$ enslavement. I also bought a few updates from Novell. Now, none of my computers is running neither Novell nor M$ products. Many small drops of water can make a torrent enough to sweep those who abuse our liberty to satisfy their greed.
Note from Rob Beard: For the past 8 years I have been an advocate of Linux occasionally using and demonstrating SuSE Linux. I will be watching closely where Novell will go from here. For now I will be recommending alternatives to SuSE such as Ubuntu or Fedora Core.
Note from Braun, Alexander: Though I am not very surprised to follow these developments, I can appeal only at the common sense of everyone not to help to demolish the best idea, that mankind created since the destruction of the library of Alexandria, the idea of a global human collaboration, so that everyone can join the work for knowledge and technics.
Note from Igor: This is getting serious.
Note from Lonnie Mullenix: Thank you Bruce Perens for your continued hard work for FOSS. I certainly hope that this is not a repeat of Novell's blunder with Word Perfect and that this agreement between MS and Novell will do no harm to the Linux and FOSS movement.
Note from Giuseppe Barichello: It's hard to preserve a truly _free_ spirit
Note from Alex Britti: Let it be Mr. Hoversepian. A. Britti of Swizerland.
Note from Dick Murchy Jr.: Evidently Novell is no longer a part of the community that played such a huge part in its survival. Novell has just made a colossal miscalculation. Very disturbing.
Note from Alexander Zuliani: This is like shaking hands with the devil.
Note from Donald J. Barry, Ph.D.: As an academic, I find Novell's position repugant -- an intolerable sellout. I won't recommend Novell's products among my colleagues nor for projects in which I am involved, unless Novell takes strong action, commensurate with its sellout, to repair the damage. I will make sure to license future academic software under the GPLV3 and associated licenses to prevent its pilfering under patent covenant by the likes of Novell.
Note from Beat Fasel: Bye Bye Novell.
Note from Alexander Dehmel: For me, as a simple home-user of Linux, it is very important to keep Linux completely free. In my opinion, the Contract between Microsoft and Novell can't be a good solution, because both enterprises, especeially Microsoft are only intrested in their personal financial benefit, not in the Free Software Community.
Note from Andrew Kornak: Very discouraging.
Note from Łukasz: I use GNU and Open Source tools everyday and the Novell/Microsoft deal is an affront to everything I love about software. What's a shame Novell !!!! BTW: How much is the price of a soul these days?
Note from joe sloan: Our firm has been using suse linux exclusively for several years. This cozy little deal with the devil is quite an alarming development, and causes us to re-evaulate our choice of linux vendor, and re-examine the alternatives.
Note from christoph glass: Creativity should have no borders. Programming is creativity.
Note from Rui Miguel Silva Seabra: Novell can have either money or honour, in this case. Having took the money, there are no rose-scented words that can ease the stench of hipocrisy. The only honourable path is to return the money and claim you were fooled and betrayed by Microsoft. Novell's current words, however, seem to suggest money is more appreciated than honour. I urge Novell Suse users and developers to subscribe this petition and/or move away from them.
Note from Osman "Partyz" Dlutek: It's a shame to Novell. Monopoly =/. How can it be open yesterday, but closed tomorrow? Won't agree!
Note from Derek Simpson: We, like many others, have supplied, installed and supported Novell's products for many years ! The trust, hard earned, destroyed by greed !
Note from Vojislav Stevanovic: As some have pointed out, Microsoft isn't able to simply buy out Free Software and make it disappear. Instead it launched a massive campaign of disinformation with proxy lawsuits added for maximum effect. It's tragic to see Novell participating in this agenda, and I hope the company realizes its mistake and eventually finds its soul.
Note from Nuno Ferreira: Eventually, this will become one more exploit patched by our learning minds and good will. Until then, thank you all for this glimpse of a better world.
Note from Eric Pedersen, CNE: The day before the news broke, I was attending a Novell/Suse Linux sales pitch. I was ready to start installing SLES 10 on my servers and then this all came to light. As a 'classic CNE', and long time advocate of Netware products (since 2.X and up); your recent behavior disappoints me in the extreme.
Note from John Berger: Having switched cold turkey from using an M$ OS on my computer in '00 to SuSE 7.3 made me extremely happy, because I actually began then to *enjoy* using the computer. Now, I see an supposed 'advocate' for Open Source try to lay down with the renegade lion. I am extremely saddened and disappointed, and now *again* I find myself looking for another distro to use on my system.
Note from Eric Kidd: As a copyright holder of software under the GPL, I see Novell's unusual patent agreement with Microsoft as a bad-faith attempt to avoid Novell's legal obligations under the GPL. Novell's choice to act with bad faith towards the copyright holders of the software sold by Novell is a curious and regrettable decision.
Note from David Farning: Please clarify your position with regards to the patent agreement. As a open source developer, I have stopped responding to bug reports filed against Suse and openSuse products. Once this situation is resolved, I will start working on those bugs. I look forward to working with Suse products again.
Note from Ernst Lobsiger: I am a physicist, teacher and system administrator in Switzerland. I have been a Novell user since NetWare 3 and I started Linux with Slackware but then changed to SuSE 6 soon. I still run 2 NetWare servers and 4 SuSE LAMP boxes as well. I maintain 80 dual boot desktops with XP SP2 and SuSE 9.3. I have just completed a 36 node Beowulf and OpenMosix cluster that uses SuSE Linux with my students. After the Microsoft-Novell patent contract I am willing to change every server and desktop to Fedora or Debian. I will ask my students to do the same thing and show them how. Good bye Novell.
Note from Bruce Bannerman: I've admired your organisation's efforts to assist the FOSS community for a number of years now. There have been many projects that have benefitted from this work. Likewise, your organisation was starting to see a positive return on your bottom line from the assistance that you received in turn from a wealth of FOSS software, projects, developers and FOSS enthusiasts. Given your organisation's assistance to FOSS in the past, I would not like to see Novell disappear into obscurity like so many other IT companies have done. Please find an honourable way out of this mess ... and do it soon.
Note from Paul J. Piekarski: I have been using a purchased copies suse for about 3 years but now that novell has made a pact with the devil I am switching to a more GPL friendly distro. novell and microsoft can go to hell.
Note from Kanwar Ranbir Sandhu: I was wondering how Novell would find a way to screw things up for itself: not in my wildest dreams did I imagine that Novell would screw up this much. If you have the option, I strongly urge you to back out of the deal with Microsoft while you still have time. If you cannot, you will be cease to be a going concern within 2 years, or at the very least be drastically diminshed.
Note from Lance Poore: I do not support anything that will benefit Microsoft, and could harm the FOSS community. I feel that Novell has only developed in the linux community recently. I don't think Novell really should have an impact on the Linux community as a whole, but the fact is it will, customers will go for the name, and the truth be known, if it says "supports Microsoft" more people will support that Operating System, yet people don't know what they will be getting their self into. I don't disagree with the whole proprietary softare concept, but I do have to disagree with proprietary vendors trying to use the open source community as a crutch.
Note from Richard Clark: I feel very betrayed by Novell's decision to partner in any way with Microsoft, and to their affirming Microsoft could lay any sort of patent claim to the technology in Linux. I'd love to see the list of supposed patents that are infringed by Linux and Gnu software. I'm betting that most of them could be easily discredited by a search for prior art. I'm not a regular Suse user, but the patent deal with MS has guaranteed that I will not ever be a Suse user.
Note from Malcolm Beale: Why would any one want to do business with a convicted felon beats me!?
Note from Gordon Lester: I have supported and used Novell products since Netware 3.11. Over the years I've watched Novell's market share literally go from market leader in 1994 to rock bottom in 2002. So when Novell bought Suse I was hopeful they would turn around and come back a leader once again. I hope Novell can keep from repeating what happened to WordPerfect after they purchased them. Unfortunately it appears Novell will be taking Suse for a ride that I can not support or recommend for my customers. This unethical behavior is NOT something Novell can expect me or my company to pass on to our valued customers.
Note from Mark Szymanski: For the last 7 years I have grown to appreciate the quality associated with Novell Netware OS's and now SuSE. I started studying SuSE because I thought I could see the handwriting on the wall where MS would become a less desirable factor in our system when Novell bought SuSE. School districts are not known for having generous budgets allowing them to indulge in whatever comes down the pike. Every penny must be strictly accounted for and justified. With this latest move on the issue of patents and licensing, Novell has driven a very painful nail in the coffin where public education may very well be put to rest. I will continue to familiarize with SuSE up to a point, because linux is linux. But, should wiser minds not prevail, I see a high probability that a shift in the winds will take place, most likely in the direction away from Novell and Microsoft. This was not a well thought out move.
Note from Devin Calef: Please reconsider this decision and spare SuSE the death is certainly does not deserve.
Note from Lalith Wijerathne: Softwares should be free.
Note from George Brown: Novel is attempting to sell out what others have developed for their own gain. You need to respect the developers intentions, the same developers who allowed you to succeed. Microsoft (if they told you upfront or not) has made their intentions of this deal known to the public. They intend to use this as an attack on their competition.
Note from Stephen Pollei: Good luck in your "The SCO Group, Inc. v. Novell, Inc." 2:04CV00139 case. However I'm really disapointed about your present agreement with Microsoft.
Note from David Giard: I think of Linux and GPL'd software as a train, each supporter, each user, each company, each individual developer is like a wagon. When you look at how much wagon this train has, when you look at how fast things are going, you dont try to stop it because you know you will be crushed.
Note from Tim: Novell, tear up that agreement with Novell! I was skeptical when you purchased Suse, but now my concern has been justified. Be a hero. Return Suse, all of it, not just the open part, to the community.
Note from Mike Mattie: No person or organization has survived a position opposing the march of human progress by controlling access to knowledge. Microsoft's position is in complete ignorance of history, and an expensive folly. Evolve your position on patents lest the world move forward without you.
Note from John Murphy: Congratulations Novell, You are now a detriment to the entire linux community. We all knew you where struggling to make SuSE profitable, but this move has just confirmed your banishment into obscurity.
Note from Ron Blanchett: I was about to load Suse Linux on some the servers in my new business but after seeing Novell jump into bed with Micro$oft I have put more thought into my previous decision and have now desided to run Debian on all of the server. I will also not be offereing Suse as a Virtual Host on the virtual servers(Xen, & VServer) in my hosting Data Center.
Note from Jon Levin: If you need the money this badly, then something else must be done. Cutting a deal with Microsoft is not a long term solution for Novell. Nor will it ever be. Jon Levin
Note from Vidyadhar Gadgil: We should discourage people from using SUSE and SLED as Novell has violated the spirit of free software by this agreement.
Note from oliver knill: This is a step which worries me.
Note from Steven Russell-Thomas: I'm just an individual user, not a power player. But I believe in free software and have jettisoned Suse as a result of their corporate stance vis-a-vis Microsoft.
Note from Langsley T Russell: I am a lowly end user who until the announcement of the partnership forming "MicroVell" used SUSE on my machine. As soon as humanly possible following confirmation of the announcement I dumped SUSE. I don't trust Microsoft and now I don't trust Novell so I want no vestige of their software on my machine.
Note from Dani Bolliger: Das Abkommen fördert m.E. indirekt die Proprietarisierung von Allgemeingut und ist schändlich. Meinen Kunden werde ich dringendst davon abraten, irgendwelche Produkte/Dienstleistungen von Novell zu kaufen / zu verwenden. Ich hoffe auch, dass via einer Relizenzierung mit der GPLv3 Firmen wie Novell die Verwendung von möglichst vieler Software untersagt wird.
Note from Rikke D. Giles: This makes me very sad and angry. Novell products will never be used on any computers I control now.
Note from Steve Badenhop: Hey, I've loved using SuSE for the last year and half or so. No more. Any company that would endanger the overall integrity and cohesiveness of the Linux community by engaging in such a deal with "the enemy", is no friend in my book. This deal is the most detrimental thing done to Linux since SCO decided they are own your data. I'm shocked that the company behind one of the best Linux distros out there would go forth with such a self-serving act.
Note from Gene Heskett: In case you haven't heard, nothing from Novell/SuSe will ever be considered for use/purchase at this television station until such time as you come back to the GPL for everything you do. You will find you cannot serve two masters without violating the GPL.
Note from c: I believe in Novell and feel that they have done more for the community then most. I am just concerned about this agreement and feel that it may be just attempt by microsoft to cause problems in the open source community.
Note from chris pollitt: Keep open-source open!
Note from paolo del bene: i am not happy of the last news, i just have left my thread on the web cons microsoft and novell, http://punto-informatico.it/pm.aspx?id=1774572&m_id=1775042&r=PI then i have write the initial announcement http://oltrelinux.com/forums/read.php?f=622&i=121&t=121 and the policy to obtain the refund of windows for the copies of windows never used http://oltrelinux.com/forums/read.php?f=622&i=1&t=1 interested to the hardware embedded, Gnu/Linux, Gnu/Hurd and Gnu/FreeBsd. Born in Rome, Italy 31 December 1971 in 12^th St. Virginia Agnelli zip 00151 Rome Italy paolodelbene@gmail.com id3rfix@gmail.com 00393475092119 cellular phone Vodafone
Note from Trevor: Mergers and Acquisitions these days leave customers little understanding of whats happening at corporate tiers. Suse being bought out by Novell and now Novell selling its heart and soul to Microsoft. Who know whats to happen next. Novell seems to have played its cards really wrong and to have sold FLOSS down the tube for some amount of financial is not going to stand it in good stead with the community. Its behaivour has been really disgraceful!!!!.
Note from Puthanveettil Prabhakaran Praveen: This agreement which is a marriage of covenience between Novell and Microsoft is a clear violation of the "spirit of freedom" which the Free Software Community wants to espouse.
Note from Niels van Everdinck: There must be a reason why I don't use any Microsoft product than the msttcorefonts ...
Note from Arun: We need to stop Microsoft from dictating terms in Open source linux community We need really see that open source really open source ... Arun
Note from John Yorke: I am pro-copyrights and anti-patent. Prevent people from stealing other people's work so credit is earned where credit is due. Don't prevent people from independently finding the same solution to a common problem. We must be free to use our own ideas regardless of whether the ideas of others may overlap. In a world of over 5 billion people how can it possibly be expected that only one person is capable of an idea and that only that person can own that idea? Please help to end patents on mathematical, and scientific (including comp-sci) ideas.
Note from kevin kempter: I've removed SuSE from all my machines because of this and installed Redhat
Note from Robert Allen: It really is all about FREEDOM, and you have betrayed a near sacred trust by striking a covenant with the 'devil' of the software realm concerning OUR labors! That covenant would very much enslave all of us with 'legal' chains, whether real or imagined, that would ultimately be no less effective than the tactic of denying the children of slaves the right to basic education including reading, writing and arithmetic - but in the setting of the current technological society. I, and my children, have already received enormous benefit from the simple 'fact' of free, as in FREEDOM, software; benefits FAR superior to the sum of all the substantial dollar amounts that we have spent on 'closed' software over the same time frame. We WILL NOT betray that trust... As paying customers, promoters and supporters of SuSe Linux since 6.2, we sadly say goodbye to our now deceased friend. However, because of the FREEDOM provided by the IDEAS of FREE software, we have found the transition to be relatively painless - 'Hello Mandriva'! You may sell your soul for a few million, or a few morsels, but you CANNOT sell ours! Goodbye, and don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out!
Note from Derek Keats: As a non-trivial CUSTOMER of Novell, we will be looking at all our applications during the next 3-4 months, with a view to finding the fastest possible way to get ALL NOVELL PRODUCTS completely out of our environment. As a company that we have been customers of for over a decade, you have let us down badly, and as customers, you may expect us to vote with our feet and encourage others within the education domain to do the same.
Note from Eugene Coetzee: Software patents are indefensible. They will cause great harm to ICT development in developing nations - which in turn will impede social and economical development. There is no way that Novel can remain pro-patent and be a respected member of the FOSS community at the same time.Perhaps it is time for IBM, Orcale and Novel whom wish to use FOSS in their business models to start an active compaign for the unconditional abolishment of software patents all over the globe.
Note from Grant Paton-Simpson: I just finished reading "In Search of Stupidity 2nd Edition", which had a chapter entitled "From Godzilla to Gecko - The Long, Slow Decline of Novell". It seems like a 3rd edition is going to be required to cover this latest self-destructive behaviour.
Note from Tobias Oszlanyi: Great Job, Novell. We will see M$ Office, M$ Mediaplayer and stuff like that in future SuSE releases as we can already see it available for Mac OS? Currently I'll stay with my SuSE 10.0 version and see how it is to be continued but I am really concerned about future Open Source Projects at all (not only SuSE). That M$ accepted the significance of Linux now they are starting to earn it and Novell was just giving them the foot step into it. This is just the first step and we all know how it will end. Linux Kernel in M$ OS and closed software around it, distributed by Novell ?!? KILLING ALL GREAT SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENTS.
Note from Geir Isene: Economy is forewarded, not by focusing on grabbing, but by the focus on giving - service and value. And the more and broader the value is distributed, the sounder and saner the economy becomes. Novell seems to focus on grabbing money, position and power for itself to the detriment to those who gave power to Novell. This will undoubtly hurt Novell more than the money grabbed by this deal.
Note from Dirk Jakobsmeier: As i used SuSE Linux as one of the best distribution (espacially for german users) since 1997 i was very anxious to hear that novell is acquiring SuSE but hoping that this will not ruin this great package of software. Early this year i decided to terminate this partnership as one of the two is leaving the way i want to use software. And now i know it was the right decision. In my opinion SuSE linux had been destroyed and will never be the same anymore which makes me really sad.
Note from Goksin Akdeniz: I do not approve the agreement between Novell and Microsoft. The terms are not clear and patent infringements term clearly is accepting that all freesoftware is not free of Microsoft code. All code is open to review except Microsoft's. Such claims and agreements are all but fud.
Note from Barrabé Patrick: Convaincu que seuls les formats ouverts peuvent assurer un avenir réel aux nouvelles technologies, et que l'abus de brevets, comme c'est actuellement le cas, tant dans la recherche biotech qu'en informatique, est source de régression, je soutiens ce mouvement. Il est important que les grandes compagnies ne puissent pas nuire aux communautés ouvertes, qui, libres de contingences économiques, peuvent assurer une recherche plus large et profitable au plus grand nombre. ::
Note from Andreas Obergrusberger: We don't need you, Novell! We never needed you!
Note from eamon fitzpatrick: Please reconsider your decision as it only strengthens a proven monopolies hand while fragmenting the open source movement and alienating your own customers.
Note from F. Reifenstahl: SUSE had come to grief when trying to turn ideals to cash, Novell is up for it, and MS has made a clever move, but will eventually shipwreck because they don't know anything about ideals. That puts my mind at rest, not a dreg will slow up OS.
Note from Daniel Höllisch: We currently use NOVEL (formerly SUSE) LINUX on our large-scale systems. We're going to abandon this strategy. Let's see how UBUNTU and the like perform... PS: I am sorry for all the former SUSE Developers. You guys got so screwed.
Note from Michael Utech: Quite distasteful.
Note from José Carlos Fernandes Rocha: Thanks NOVELL. Now I can see (the) SUN. RIP
Note from JOSE LUIS R: UBUNTU RULES
Note from David: I really have no words about this Patent...In my opinion, Novell MUST cut the relationship with Microsoft. That's all...simple as hell.
Note from Robert Schweikert: While I applaud the technical part of the agreement I am very disappointed about the patent clause. This patent agreement works against the spirit of the very community Novell needs to survive. The least Novell can do at this point is to transfer all rights to UNIX still held by the company to OIN. With this transfer the rights will be guarded from Microsoft which bank rolled a good chunk of the SCO legal action.
Note from Thomas Siegers: Novell had a good reputation as a network pioneer in the 80s. Little of this reputation remains. But the hope remains that their behavior will drive more people to the open source camp.
Note from Guillaume Knispel: I think the agreement is extremely damaging for both the free software community and Novell.
Note from Tomas Liska: I hope you've got 5 aces up your sleeve, for now it seems you lost.
Note from Alexander Sieck: For me the Microsoft-Novell Patent Agreement confirms that Debian (www.debian.org) is one of the best choices for people, who want a long lasting stable distribution.
Note from Stijn van Dongen: With free software there is no such concept as end user, no such concepts as commercial or non-commercial developer. There is just code, a community, copyright, and a license. Please remember this.
Note from Oral Deckard: Say it ain't so Ron. Now switching to Fedora Core
Note from Rui Fernando Salvaterra: Here's hoping this treason won't go unpunished.
Note from Stas Ambartsumov: Micrisoft must be ignored
Note from Kenneth Kalmer: As many others, I believe there is a place in the market for OSS and proprietary software, but a partnership of this nature infringes on the very nature of ethical business. It can be paralleled to a bank paying robbers to clear out the vault so that they can cash in on the insurance claims...
Note from Alexander Repko: Novell is playing a dangerous game with Microsoft, dangerous not only for themselves but to the whole open-source community.
Note from Umberto Pato: Pas de Big Brother dans le logiciel libre !
Note from Bui Viet Dung: Let's get rid of this ill-advised patent agreement!
Note from David M. Besonen: I've recommended SuSE in the past. SuSE is now off of my Recommendation List. And if Novell dissolves their patent agreement with Microsoft then I'll remove SuSE from my Unsupported List (none of my clients uses anything on this list).
Note from Robert Ensley Feemster: I use open source software including Novell SuSE 10.1 to teach under-privileged children in my city the principles of programming. I also help them to install open source software on old donated computers for their home use.
Note from Moeller Peter: I'm worried about the contracr between Novell and Microsft, because it might result in a come down of open software. Still Novell is a partner of Open Source in my oppinion, please act as one!
Note from Per Funke: I have never trusted any of the commercial players. I did not trust the Novell SuSE deal. I trust Stallman. I don't like his haircut but what under it is OK. It is evidently a wise decision. I'm sorry to see Microsoft representatives time and time again doing things which are not their business to do. Naturally I do not use their products unless forced by factors out of my control. I support open source choice always when deciding systems solutions in our library. Privately I will never ever use MS or Novell products. The main reason for this is their rotten ethics. May they go belly up!
Note from James Tullett: I do not think that it was a wise idea for Novell to make this deal with Microsoft. I look forward to reading the full text of the agreement between the parties, and would strongly urge the Boards of both Companies to release this information to the public.
Note from Tomás Zerolo: Whoever goes to bed with a crocodile shouldn't be surprised to wake up with one leg missing.
Note from Bryan: We all hope that Novell can find their way out of this mess. But, I do not believe that the Microsoft/Novell agreement started out without the patent indemnification. It stands to reason that the whole agreement would have been a non-starter for Microsoft if they were going to be selling SUSE without requiring indemnification. That would have set the precedent that Microsoft didn't care about the value of their patent portfolio. As for the matter of Microsoft being paid for unproven infringement, with no option for remedy, I encourage you all to contact the anti-trust division of the U.S. Attorney General's office. This type of anti-competitive behavior is likely illegal. It is at the very least unethical.
Note from phasma: M$ go home )))
Note from Adolf J. Winterer: Mr. Hovsepian, your company Novell, earns its money with open source software which is the work of thousands of projects with hundreds of thousands participants. You are in no position to make any contracts or covenants in the name of and over the heads of all these developers, contributors, testers, artists, translators, sponsors. All this work neither belongs to you nor to Microsoft and therefore it cannot be part of any contract between you and Microsoft. You opened to door to extremely damaging patent law suits, which was the worst thing you could do for open source. With that you are killing off the base of your business! Doing business, such as selling software to customers, is always about trusting each other. How can I ever again use anything that comes from your company after your extremely unethical action? It is not open letters to the community you have to write, you have to radically change your companies course, and you have to do this NOW!
Note from Fouad Riaz Bajwa: Don't take things at face value, their is always a catch to it, we will never give up our ICT Software Freedoms to monopolistic attitudes and forces!
Note from linuxiac: Advocate GNU/Linux FREEdom of Choice! http://pclinuxos.com has 1900 liveCD programs, games, suites!
Note from aj town: Suse, your reputation is in tatters. Pull out of this deal before your uses / fanbase desert you in their droves.
Note from Mishel Kiselev: Оbserved my data, shown full insolvency windows ... God forbid SuSE come hereto.
Note from Ignacio Osete Gutiérrez: Deceiving choice for Novell's future, and very disappointing. This policy is going to harm Novell itself and Open Source. SuSe was a wonderful distribution, but on the Open Source community's view we can consider it dead. On the way, Suse could have been for my customers a good choice but not anymore.
Note from Ershad Chowdhury: Earth to Microsoft, embrace Open Source, you can still sell windows, ms office and all your products as a service.
Note from Benj FitzPatrick: I suppose I won't be putting SLED or opensuse on my cluster now...
Note from Stuart Ellis: I cannot see why we should use or recommend any product from Novell until the issue is resolved. This decision can only have been made either out of total ignorance about how the Free Software community works, or as part of a calculated attempt to use software patents against other members of the community. In either case it demonstrates that the current management must be removed before the company can be trusted as a supplier or a partner again.
Note from Robert Miller: Nobody survives a partnership with Microsoft.
Note from Anze Vidmar: no comment :-/
Note from Pedro Ayala: With this agreement between Novell and Microsoft, we can never recommend to any of our customer the choice of selecting any Novell products because this anti ethical movement.
Note from Raul Carrillo Garrido aka metsuke: Asi de simple. De verdad, una cosa es ser justo y dar oportunidades a todos los actores del software, y otra muy distinta traicionarnos a todos nosotros. Espero sinceramente que se replanteen su postura, ciertamente estaban haciendo un gran bien a la comunidad... hasta ahora.
Note from Doug Giles: There exists a serious disfunction in Western business culture, as it continually substitutes legal action for inovation in its daily practice.
Note from Franz Seidl: I have been a customer of SuSE for 12 years now, using SuSE Linux as my primary and sometimes even sole OS. I have been advocating it among friends and customers. Have been! Novell crossed the red line. Shortly, no installation of Novell software will be left in my sphere of influence. That includes my enterprise and those of our customers systems we control. Dear Mr. Hovsepian, you made your choice, now we make ours.
Note from Miroslav Cyroň: Miroslav Cyroň, Česko
Note from Sudhir Gandotra: The day Novell took over Suse, there were doubts shared among friends. Those doubts, of Novell being more of the microsoft type than that of Community, are now becoming true. But, they will not survive. Not even Hitler could survive when he took on the world (community). But, yes. microsoft has shown anther trick of their conspiracy. They will not surely see how the Community will remain together and defeat these ill-practices. Openlx.com supports the action against all such attempts to harm Linux and Open-source way of sharing life.
Note from Shaze: Ron, you are a very unsavory individual.
Note from fravia: Vista "frills & crap" dictature will create the Linux "critical mass". (Amazing how these commercial idiots -both Novell and Microsoft- manage to misunderstand trends, hehe :-) Do not underestimate Ubuntu-like easy distros.
Note from Melanie N. Allen: Please reconsider.
Note from Bryan Tyson: Strange, Novell seemed to be becoming a leader in the Free Software community. What a bizarre turn of events. What a disappointment. What a tragic waste of potential.
Note from J. Hebert: Novell have blundered so badly I fear they will never recover from this pact with what I consider to be the worst enemy of freedom this world has ever seen. In 1996, I changed the direction of my business after 16 successful years of retail computer sales thanks totally to Microsoft's tactics and horrid, unsupportable products. I discovered open source shortly thereafter and I've come to highly respect the people who've devoted their lives to ensuring opensource is a viable alternative. Once again I enjoy my work in this industry. I've built many servers based on excellent software that was free. Open source saved my professional life. In fact I was about to download Opensuse and start to learn it with the idea that perhaps it would turn out to be good for my customers. I used to consider Novell to be on the side of freedom of choice (of software). So much for that. This blunder has very likely ensured that Novell will rapidly sink into obscurity along with so many other of the giant's allies during the past three decades. It has certainly ensured that I will not consider Novell to be open source friendly ever again.
Note from Håkon Hallingstad: I have always considered SuSE as the best-polished of all Linux distributions, but as a responsible supporter of the Open Source Software community, I cannot purchase products from Novell knowing some part of it ends in Microsoft's pockets.
Note from Allan Morris: Glad I decided to use Debian. Started with Ubuntu now running gnewsense and liking it.
Note from Guillermo Jorge Biset: Open Source software is a well of knowledge, an example of pure lack of selfishness and pristine moral standards. As a very young student I can only hope and dream of one day giving back a fraction of what has been given to me by the community. This "deal" is a scorn on us all. Shame on you both.
Note from Joshua Ho: Novell, if you don't want to fall behind and be burdened with extra costs, then break away with your agreement with Microsoft.
Note from Michael Karrenbauer: Ich nutze Linux SuSE seit der 5er Version täglich, bei vielen Kunden läuft ebefalls seit Jahren das Linux System als Desktop und Server. Jetzt habe diese Kunden das ungute Gefühl, das M$ auch in ihren System herum Spuckt! Sehr gut für freie Software, danke Novell für diesen !Tritt in den Hintern! ~Give M$ no chance~
Note from Josh Rendon: Mr. Hovsepian though it may seem like your recent agreement with Microsoft is logical step in the acceptance of Linux in the consumer computer market, Microsoft will find some way to obscure their agreement and just further attempt to impede the development of the open source community.
Note from Ariel Faigon: Ron, two things are obvious now. The first is that you didn't listen carefully enough to people in your own organisation, your very own developers who are obviously not happy with the patent side of the deal. The second is that it is clear by now - from Steve Ballmer's quotes in the press - that Microsoft's ultimate goals are diametrically opposed to Novell's. There is a way out: a deal without real meeting of the minds cannot stand. It will crumble. My advice would be to back out before it is too late. The damage to Novell will be irreparable otherwise.
Note from Andrew Walker: The only people you will ultimately hurt will be your shareholders as SCO's before you. Please rethink your policy before you become another pawn in Microsoft's monopolistic games.
Note from José Francisco Carrasco Benítez: I agree totally with Bruce Perens, I think Novell is not a trusty collaborator in the Open Source Community. This makes GPL3 more stronger and people liking it more after the dislike by Linus Torvalds, I think Free Software Fundation did a great job on the v3 of GPL. Microsoft first did get SCO and they now get Novell, it's clear that Microsoft is scared of the UNIX world and the Open Source Community. What will be the next attempt to kill the Open Source software? We must fight joined against that with all our skills and available power...
Note from Salvador Brown: I really believe Red Hat's prediction, about where Novell and Red Hat will be in a year from now, will come true. I'm an end user. In fact, I use SuSE Linux 10.0. I started my migration from Microsoft Windows since SuSE 8.x - I bought every upgrade of SuSE Linux that I ever owned from SuSE Linux, and I completed my migration from MS Windows with SuSE 10.0, except 10.1 (I was preparing for the upgrade, but stopped because of this deal you made that involves your attempt to circumvent the GPL. The very reason I stopped using Microsoft products is that I did not like being locked in to one vender, and being forced to use only one vendor's products and solutions, as a consumer in any other area, I enjoy choice, and that's what I want from software as well; here you are though, trying to use Microsoft as your cat's paws to let them try scaring end users into using only Novell products. Your actions are not in line with the spirit of the community that develops most of your Linux products, and I fear that unless you realize that - before it's too late - you'll find that support will vanish. I'm sure the quality of Novell's Linux products will take a dive soon there after. Well, there's Ubuntu, Fedora, Mondravia, XandrOS, etc, etc, etc. That's what I love about GNU/Linux and the GPL, I have the ability to much more easily migrate to a competing Linux distro if I become dissatisfied with a distro I'm already using. I hope that Novell will reconsider this deal it made with MS, so that the FOSS community which is developing most of Novell's Linux products will continus doing so. Then I'll remain confident in the quality of Novell's Linux products, and thus allowing me to confidently continue using SuSE Linux. Please don't misunderstand. I don't mind if you do business with MS; I just don't like you violating the GPL while doing business.
Note from Knut Yrvin: In most of the European countries computer programs are not patentable. The patent law in United Kingdom state that you can't get patent on scientific discoveries, schemes, rules and methods for performing mental acts, playing games or doing business, and programs for computers. US patent system is broken. Microsoft tries to export US patent practice to other countries through the Novell deal. They mis-represent the properties, values in free software and their contributors.
Note from ron hiensch: I thank them for opening my eyes, because I'm definitely not going to pay Microsoft for using Linux
Note from Wes Yates: Some have speculated that this is the acts of a dying company. Some have said its a bought partnership. Others fear that Microsoft wants to kill Linux any way they can. Whatever the reason, this "partnership" can produce to no good. Folks, Microsoft is simply afraid of Linux and knows full well that they can't defeat Linux commercially. Their only hope is to stop it at its only line of defense -- the GPL. Once Microsoft Intellectual Property "somehow gets into" Open Source code, watch the law suits fly. Then the GPL and Novell will have no chance to save Open Source (Linux in this case). Even IBM won't be able to save them. Novell, Please reconsider your actions!
Note from Kaja Liiv: I have moved most of my endeavors to opensource products because I don't like the vendor lock-in M$ forces on us. I have never used a Novell product, because Ive always been suspicious of Novells products and now I see that this shunning has not been groundless. Novell will not see any business from me.
Note from Linc Fessenden: Any deal with that company will always come back to bite you in the end, and it appears that that has already started to happen.
Note from Christopher Cashell: Ever since Novell started their push towards Open Source and Linux, I've been a fan of Novell. I think they make a lot of good products, and I think they'd been a very good member of the Open Source community. It's my belief that this agreement was entered into without fully understanding the ramifications that would result, and was not something Novell did to intentionally alienate and update the Open Source community. It's my hope that Novell will review it's recent patent agreement and take corrective action as soon as possible. I look forward to continuing to support Novell once they've fixed this error in judgement.
Note from Patrick Davila: This is a bad move on so many levels. Yes, you got a boatload of cash but you just sold your souls to the devil.
Note from Leandro Guimarães Faria Corcete DUTRA: We do need GNU GPL v3.
Note from Edward Schofield: By agreeing to this patent license ("covenant", if you like) Novell has turned itself into a weapon Microsoft can use to stifle healthy competition. I will now recommend against the use of Novell products until Novell realizes the danger of patents to innovation in the software industry and chooses to stand with the community of developers and users of open source software in opposing them.
Note from Kate Draven: As a computer vendor I will not deal with SuSe or Novell products. As a human rights activist I will warn users against using said products. The agreement really has nothing to do with protecting anyone, and everyone knows it. Novell should be ashamed of itself. As for Microsoft, history has proven it has no shame, or trustworthiness. Good luck.
Note from Bernhard Rosenkraenzer: I'm disappointed that Novell didn't see through this obvious Microsoft anti-Linux ploy. The whole idea behind the deal, from Microsoft's side, is that a Linux vendor acknowledges it may be violating Microsoft's patents, thereby scaring people and companies that are evaluating Linux away. Novell does not stand to gain anything from this, because the few customers gained by people choosing Novell's products over other Linux distributions are easily outweighed by those not touching Linux at all because of this FUD campaign. The only "benefit" is a short term stock rise, probably long enough for the executives to sell their stock and options -- which is apparently all that mattered for those making the deal. Start taking care of a long term solution, such as helping other Linux distributors solve the problem for real by fighting for freedom (that includes the fight against software patents and against certain monopolists). I hope you're aware that Microsoft usually eats its partners.
Note from Glen Carr: so SCO lost it's steam and now this? isn't novell the one that caused the SCO scandal to transpire?
Note from Joey Kelly: I own a Linux services company, and have standardized on SuSE for 5 years. Until now, that is. I will be migrating my clients to another distribution ASAP. I think we can all agree that SuSE was the best distro available (IBM and now Microsoft attest to this fact). Thanks for killing it, Novell.
Note from Marion Roberson III: Though there are many who misunderstand the effect this may have on the FOSS movement, it is quite clear. The GPL revokes the rights of use, distribution, and contribution to anyone who tries to limit the rights of others to do the same. Whether this was co-opting on the part of Novell and Microsoft, it quite does not matter, The agreement limits the right of one party, and by doing so limits the rights of all parties who want, use or desire to profit by some means. I wondered if the purchase of SuSE by Novell would be a future negative, and unfortunately it is. I was a SuSE user, but no more.
Note from James Jolly: This move will damage the serious contributions that Ximian/Novel/SUSE has made to FOSS. For example, it will likely scuttle the adoption of Mono, much to the benefit of Microsoft.
Note from David Yingling: Are software patents unconstitutional to start with? In a programming language with only a few dozen "words," how many sentences can you actually write that are nontrivial?
Note from Pamela Brett Albers: As one who frequently checks out Free Software & I appreciate the opportunity to Thank Everyone who contributes to my Freebees by Protesting Novell's and Microsoft's software patent agreement. Best of Luck & Support to Bruce!
Note from mark: I have used and recomended netware scince version 3, no more. Not unless Novell get its head together
Note from Wiebe van der Worp: Slowing down progression is a crime against humanity. It holds back prosperity and chances for a better life for people who need it. For those that don't understand the importance of progression: Suppose you get cancer in 10 years. In that case it is vital to get the medicine in 5 years instead of 15 years. Those multinationals involved in the game of abusing the patent system and misleading governments have blood on their hands and will be held liable one day.
Note from Johannes von Bargen: When SuSE was acquired by Novel and I told that my father he said something like this: "Novel hat bis jetzt alles was es angefasst hat in die Sch**** geritten". At that time I was very pleased about one more old player building its future upon Linux and OpenSource. I can not believe that they are that short-sighted! For me as a long-time SuSE-user its a hit in the face! Greetings from Hamburg
Note from Maxim Devaev: I am sorry, if my message is written a little illiterately, I Russian, but am not strong in English. Microsoft have simply become impudent, if make a complaint Linux. It is at least simply immoral, about any patents Microsoft cannot be and speeches. Me other question more interests: if initial texts of kernel Linux and many programs are opened, start up Microsoft will prove, that does not use initial texts of kernel Linux and other programs in production.
Note from Rolf Luettecke: It was a lot of work to switch from a mainstream opsys to Novell/SuSE - i think it will be much less work to switch from Novell/SuSE to a real open-source- platform. Good job Mr. Hovsepian, hopefully your employees will not suffer that much.
Note from Jóhann Friðriksson: Shame on you. Hope you can't sleep at night, because the people who wrote the software you distribute sure haven't. I think you have demolished the trust and faith engineers had in your company. You have publicly shown that there is no respect for ethics in your company.
Note from Hector Manuel: I think that there is a lot to say and at the same time speechless with the way we Suse users feel about this betrail from Novell.
Note from RapidLinux: Http://www.rapidlinux.co.za
Note from Jay Berg: It is understandable but non-forgivable to pervert OpenSource in this way. Therefore it will not work.
Note from Alex Shabotenko: I'm just a nonentity in the company of such grands as Mr. Perens, but I am proud to be on his side - and to have said goodbye to MS products just a little over two years ago. Bye, SLED? Not sure yet...
Note from Erkki Vanninen: Just in the process of migrating from SuSE to Ubuntu.
Note from Lauri Võsandi: Keep Free Software truly free!
Note from daniele ge: now i am sure that i will newer buy a novell software
Note from Amara Emerson: Everything has been said already, what is Novell going to do about its mistake?
Note from Mario Young: software patent is killing software
Note from Curtis Hinson: Nobody gave Novell the right to speak for the GPL community.
Note from Dave Bell: NetWare may have been the best, and may still be one of the best file server operating systems, but Novell is no longer a company which I care to reccomend or support. You may have my CNE certification back.
Note from Michael Wade Vogt: It should have been blatantly obvious that Microsoft mainly wanted this deal to obtain software patent FUD-fodder. It's utterly shameful that you, Novell, gave Microsoft exactly that.
Note from Pawel Suchanecki: Linux is not [only] a business!. Do not let marketing destroy the freedom [of creation].
Note from Dean Loros: I am a small voice, but I feel strongly enough to add it to the groundswell that is rising against this injustice to the Open-Source community. I believe that this was done for the shallowest of motives--profit....If you wish to make money your god--so be it---but at least have the good grace to not bite the hand that feeds you.
Note from Randy Blythe: I am saddened by this action taken by Novell. I used to use Suse in a multi-boot environment, but no longer. Why would you do this? I hope you come to your senses and back out of this "deal" soon. Did you really think this through? Is the 30 pieces of silver you received worth your soul? Are you satisfied with losing the support of a whole community that helped you become what you were berfore you mad that "deal"? Shame on you Novell.
Note from Andrew Parker: Shame on you, Novell, shame on you.
Note from Siddharthan S: SuSE was truly a best linux distro, with excellent configuration tools and a great look and feel. Novell has doomed this wonderful distro and also the great effort of many developers who had put their hard work into it. I'll never consider using SuSE linux anymore.
Note from Andy Dustman: Novell, you earned a lot of goodwill when you took on SCO. The deal with Microsoft bankrupts your goodwill account. Perhaps the entire reason for your existence is to serve as a warning to others. I, for one, want nothing more to do with you.
Note from Andrew Grygus: I provide system integration and support to a fair number of businesses in the "less than 1000 employees" range. My NetWare authorization is dated June 1989. Given this completely misguided agreement between Novell and Microsoft I must now campaign vigorously among my clients against adoption or upgrading of any Novell products.
Note from Christian Unger: To think SuSE was once my favourite distro.
Note from Chris Gagnon: I am adding to all new Make files a condition that checks for a Suse kernel with uname -r. If it detects a Suse kernel the compile will fail with a nice note to the user about your deal with Microsoft and ask that they change distros. Then they can not use my program or hunt through the make file and remove the condition. It will make it "fun" for your users to stick with Suse. It will also help newer linux users that want to run my software to stay away from your distro.
Note from hekaton: not only that suse is my love, but i've spent my last years.. being *proud* of you, novell, and *admiring* your great contribution to the world i like to live in, the world of free software. you can't imagine what i feel now :(( i implore you: try to do something! cancel your decision if possible!! i am still willing to "forgive" you, if i may speak so. for now, my own ideals force me to stop using your fine distribution, which i hate to do but i feel like having no choice.
Note from Mark Reynolds: End user in the private education sector who exclusively uses linux to ensure those soci-economically disadvantaged can still access the power of IT based knowledge and systems.
Note from Sampo Vuori: Oh I can't believe it. It's SCO farce all over again.
Note from Mohit Guleria: The deal is like the dose of slow poison into the community.
Note from Philip Booysen: Novell, you are unfortunately playing a very treacherous game. Sorry to hear about what you did and your plans for the future. This move secured someone with savvy like Red Hat's future in our enterprise Linux business.
Note from David Mitchell: Mr. Hovsepian, it's a shame that you weren't made more aware of Novell's history when you assumed the presidency of the company. If you had known more, you might have acted differently. Give the money back, renounce the deal, and put your trust in the Community. We will support you, we will protect you, and we will help you and Novell prosper.
Note from Andy Pusey: I think you have misjudged the the way the foss community would feel about this decision and how they will react. You may have divided the community but all this means for you is that rather than having to face one attack it will be like treading on an ant hill. Each person will be trying to bite you in their own way. I foresee you having a great deal of problems with many passionate developers of GPL licensed products. Many will try to deny you access to their creations and you will not be able to fight all of them as there will be too many. The ramifications of this decision is that you will be getting negative publicity and pain from the foss community for a long, long time.
Note from José María Peribáñez: La parte del acuerdo referente a patentes es un gran error. Novell ha hecho contribuciones interesantes al mundo del software libre, por lo que sería una pena perder a esta empresa porque no busque y encuentre una fórmula que le permita rectificar.
Note from Guillermo Ballester Valor: I spent many hours helping SUSE users and building some packages to complement suse/opensuse distros. Novell agreement with Microsoft about patents hit me. I'll be waiting to see more about this stuff. I still think that openSUSE is the better free linux distribution, but I will begin to check other distros, as plan B. PLEASE Novell, you have spent many money and efforts with open software. Don't be so stupid to close the Microsoft agreement about patents or you will send all to thrash.
Note from Piotr Golonka: Software patents may severely affect the availability of technologies for the use in Science, Linux being the most important player for the High Energy Physics community. In my view, Novell agreeing that Linux infringes patents and selectively provides "indemnity" to its users is unethical... See what the opennes of the web did to the world!
Note from Sergey: Microsoft must die!
Note from Luigi Genoni: SOme of the software I developed or I contributed to delevop is included in SuSE distribution. I would not like it to be included in a distribution with this patent agreement with microsoft.
Note from Giovanni Merlino: Despite being quite a new entry in the FOSS community as a user, and a longtime Windows user before that, I believe I already grasp very well what FOSS is all about and, as much as I love what _this_ community has been able to forge (in terms of quality and opportunities), especially in a world of wolves and foxes, even more I hate any behavior that puts this ecosystem at risk, so shame on you, Novell (and be aware that this path only leads to more legal and financial troubles, for you too)
Note from guStaVo ZaeRa: I have been awaiting a deal of this type for some time, and I'm not surprised that it is one of the larger companies that have lived in the borderline between Free Software and traditional licensed-based software that agreed to cooperate with Microsoft. The shortsightedness of such a deal, is not only an expected prerequisiste, but an almost utterly naive view from Novell's side. I have to say that I do not fear for the future of Free Software projects like Linux as they are Free by nature, and they will always continue to exist, despite agreements between large software firms.
Note from Mark Shuttleworth: The Novell-Microsoft agreement has profound long-term consequences for the ability of free software to present a technical and economic alternative to Microsoft's offerings. I hope this petition goes some way to convincing Novell to repudiate the deal.
Note from Vangelis Papadopoulos: I\'ve been long time now a Linux user and a Novell fan since they always gave me what I wanted in a system. But with their late acts I feel like my freedom on software will again be owned by Microsoft.
Note from Jakob Breivik Grimstveit: When will the corporations learn ...
Note from Christian Bryn: As IBM said, making the gap between the different platforms smaller is a good thing. Breaking license agreements fundamental to the development of free software is not the way to go - Novell is in no position to do this, neither is Microsoft.
Note from Ross Coleman: I actually SOLD my Novell (NOVL) positions when this news was released. Novell benefits openly by pimping "Microsoft endorses SuSe". Deny if it must the ultimate goal here: ledger a profit. Novell management historically has done nothing but undermine shareholder and user confidence.
Note from Ted stevens: Novell has sold its soul to the devil...
Note from André Luís Lopes: I'm completely against Novell's last actions. By doing this Novell is hurting the community's future and so I'm not recommending Novell solutions for anyone that I know, friends or costumers. Please : Novell let's play nice together.
Note from boris petkov: Novell has always been trying to hook into the big pile of money of proprietary software business but even now they won't succeed in whatever evil intentions they have with stealing open source community effort and getting paid for it. They just _can't_ control people's free will.
Note from Knife Espinosa: open source should remain open... even if Microsoft dislikes it... even better in my opinion
Note from giuseppe massimo bertani: Your thinking is my thinking :-) Thanks you all.
Note from Elizabeth Burke: I am profoundly disappointed in Novell for entering into this agreement with Microsoft. I have been a SuSE user since 9.0 and have purchased most versions in the retail box, trying to support a great distro. I made my break with Microsoft years ago as a matter of principle; I'm not letting them in the backdoor now. In light of what I can only regard as Novell's betrayal of open source, I am looking at other distros to install on my three home computers in place of SuSE.
Note from Jae Stutzman: Wow, I've been promoting Mono as the answer to open source Java. Now with GPL'd Java, it is the open source c#. Too bad. You guys really messed up on this one.
Note from Wolfgang Schindler: Wir empfehlen keine Novell Produkte mehr.
Note from Paul Ziegler: We all want come closer to eachother. But not fot a price like this.
Note from Dusan Halicky: GNU rocks, NOVEL sucks!
Note from Don Wood: Novell, unless you can fix what you have done, Suse no longer exists for me.
Note from Richard K. (Rick) Sykes: I really hope that you didn't realize what a mistake you were making, that you realize the magnitude of your mistake now, and that it's not too late for you to change. IIRC, about 30% of the software in a typical "Linux" distribution is GNU software, i.e., the copyrights are owned by the FSF. We can expect that all future development for these packages will be under the GPLv3 once it becomes available. The FSF indicates that the GPLv3 will be incompatible with this deal you've made with Microsoft. As evidenced by some of the comments here and elsewhere, many other FLOSS developers will also be migrating to GPLv3. It will be cost-prohibitive for Novell to fork enough software and keep it competitive with the GPLv3ed codebase. I work at a large hospital. We use Netware here and both SuSE and Red Hat Linux (and AIX, Solaris, MS Windows,...). There is an effort underway to get rid of the Netware, and to standardize on either SuSE or Red Hat Linux so that we can draw from a pool of trained admins. Unless Novell changes their deal with Microsoft so that they can distribute GPLv3ed software, SuSE won't exist much longer. So even if I were amoral, I'd have to recommend another distribution. I'm sure that there are thousands of administrators around the world making the same recommendation...
Note from Stephen Turner: Betrayal.
Note from Timothy Francis: This agreement could spell the end of Novell, I company I have long admired for its innovation and support for heteregeneous environments. I was please at its acquisition of SuSe, as it could only improve on the growing community of Linux developers and innovators; amd bring much needed support and enterprise level credentials to Linux. Your strategy was sound to move into this realm, however this latest move has basically undone any good you have done for the Linux community - unless you choos to break this rather unholy alliance, an alliance I would have thought Novell would have enough common sense to avoid, considering how Microsoft has gone out of its way to put Novell out of business.
Note from Tom Miller: We've deployed Suse Linux on several computers throughout our enterprise. We will now be moving away from Suse and toward a distribution that takes its users and GPL seriously.
Note from Marian Wynn - Public Library Director: I am the library director of a small rural public library. We are currently upgrading our server from windows2000 to RedHat Linux and our work computers from windows 98 to Ubuntu. Why? Because we CANNOT afford microsoft products and support for windows 98 was abandoned by microsoft. Windows xp is simply too bloated to run on a PI or PII. But I have just installed Ubuntu on a 500Mhz machine orginally destined for the trash heap. It workes and I didn't pollute! My only expense will be a 12 dollar ethernet card. What novell is doing is wrong wrong wrong. Microsoft will do ONLY what is good for Microsoft. If Microsoft told Novell different, we are all about to experience what good liars they have always been. For me, I am trying wash microsoft out of my life and saying a prayer that RedHat and Ubuntu don't fall prey to novell's affliction.
Note from Pavel Machek: I believe the protest is wrong in details, but very right overall. Unfortunately I do not see easy way out of this agreement.
Note from Steven Heininger: I have begun evaluating new distros. I truly love SuSE Linux but I cannot support this agreement. Our machines will be converted as soon as a new distro is selected and and my recommendations to my clients will follow suit.
Note from Jason H. Mervyn: I already sent a brief comment in at the Novell site, in which I said I would no longer recommend Novell products given their actions.
Note from David Morris: It is entertaining at least to see SCO, Microsoft, and Novell wet their boots... over and over and over again! Linux and FLOSS is the "tarbaby" of those that would threaten it. Every action they take, the harder they fight against it, the worst they make it for themselves and add to free software's momentum and acceptance. Novell gave in to greed, and you can tell by the look in their eyes that Microsoft is scared! Long live FLOSS!
Note from Eduardo Padoan: This deal shows that Novell dont understand the why of having Free Software.
Note from Russell Ivey: I am saddened by Novell's alliance with Microsoft. For years, Microsoft has promoted what I call "Innovation Through Litigation". Rather than partner with other companies to foster true innovation, they have shut ideas out of the marketplace which showed a threat to their bottom line. As a systems and software developer, I can say this partnership will limit my use of Novell products in the future.
Note from Jim Allan: I've been with SuSE since 9.3 purchasing the retail version - my humble way of puting something back into the community I hope. I must confess that I am now considering a move... Please remember that "Dancing with the Devil is a very very dangerous game as He always has a price to pay"
Note from James Capp: We have been delighted to see companies like Best Buy carrying the Novell SuSE Linux distribution on their shelves. We have been happy with the product and have highly recommended it to all our customers. However, we are disappointed to hear about your deal with Microsoft. From everything I have been able to gather, Microsoft's terms go against the very concept of community development. We are not interested in MONO and believe protocols like SMB need to be unencumbered by patents as they are de-facto standards created by a monopolistic company. Sadly, we will discontinue our use, recommendation, and support of future Novell SuSE products unless drastic changes are made in this "deal".
Note from Alvaro Reguly: Me and my company, and all the clients that I support and influence are leaving SuSE. Best of luck.
Note from Stephen W Conners: I have long supported Novell and your products. I applauded your move to Linux and Open Source because I felt it was a good for all parties. I feel my support has been betrayed with this deal with Microsoft.
Note from Antonio Medina Miltimore: Dear Hovsepian. I just bought a new amd64 computer. I was going to install Suse Linux but on light of your agreement with Micrsoft I have chosen to install Ubuntu. I will do so with all my customers who ask me for a good choice of Linux distro.
Note from Roger Whitaker: Among other thngs, I write embedded control software. I've been enoying using SuSE Linux at home and in my office up to now. No more. There are plenty of good alternatives that don't betray the spirit and letter of what Open Source software is all about. That is one of the great things about Open Source. We have choices.
Note from Martin Podhola: I do not agree with policy of microsoft company, in the past and now! I am very sad, that the world is only money, and who has money can do everything! It is bad!
Note from Eric Boggess: I'm replacing my Suse 10.1 installations with Fedora Core and RHEL and I will advocate Red Hat over Novell from now on, until Novell changes course and supports the free software movement once again. Sincerely, Eric
Note from alexander drachmann: Please, return to the pack. We haven't taken anything from microsoft, we owe them nothing and why sell out for short term gains. When the future of your company and open source/free software is at stake.
Note from Jeremy Henty: I believe Bruce Perens' harsh judgement of Novell's actions is entirely correct. Wittingly or not, Novell is aiding and abetting the subversion of the compact that unites the Free Software community.
Note from Dimitrios P. Bouras: Of all things, I find it most amazing that the guys at Novell haven't figured out they've shot themselves in the foot on this one. Then again, they've shot themselves in the foot on a number of occasions in the past, so maybe this recent development shouldn't come as a surprise. A pity.
Note from Elyse M. Grasso: Name someone that shook hands with Microsoft and did not pull back a bleeding stump.
Note from Rebecca Putman: I moved away from Microsoft because of their extortionate fees and buggy software. This agreement of yours threatens that, because it represents precisely the method that Microsoft uses for eliminating their competition: destroy from within, then assimilate. Novell, you're not an agreeing partner, you're FOOD.
Note from Mike Coleman: author of Subterfugue
Note from Daniel Gonzalez: It was clear that BSD-like licenses are not enough protection against software vampires. Now we sadly see that the GPLv2 is also not good enough. Let's move to GPLv3 and remove the floor from below the enemies of the community!
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