11.29.06
Posted in FUD, Microsoft, Novell, Ron Hovsepian, Steve Ballmer at 2:27 am by Shane Coyle
In an interview with Computerworld, Ron Hovsepian gives some background on the genesis and workings of the Microsoft-Novell deal. Hovsepian states that the deal began in search of virtualization, and that initially Microsoft’s position was that Linux could be virtualized within Windows, but not Windows within Linux.
Also, a little more on the motivation behind the deal, besides interoperability I suppose:
All I cared about was, I lost a deal with a large retailer to Microsoft for the first time about 12 or 18 months ago. It was going to be an all-Linux deal, and I lost it because they were unduly influenced, in my opinion, to be fearful of these [IP and indemnity issues]. From my point of view that was really too bad, because Linux lost. Then I watched it happen three more times.
Apparently it is a good thing that Ron hit the delete button on his Open Letter to the Community, since he refuses to accuse Microsoft of spreading Fear Uncertainty and Doubt (words he apparently initially intended to use), actually saying that Microsoft has been “operating genuinely” at the executive level in regards to their IP statements.
Do you think Microsoft is spreading a lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt about the risk of IP violations if companies adopt Linux?
They were sharing their position in the marketplace as they saw it through their lens.
Funny how it isn’t FUD when you are in the unique position to benefit from Microsoft’s fearmongering about potential “IP” violations in Linux. Hovsepian also said that he was “disappointed” by Ballmer’s “Undisclosed Balance Sheet” statement, but did not want to overreact since he knows how things can be taken out of context.
One topic Hovsepian had little to comment on was the upcoming GPL3, and the possibility that it will isolate Novell from the very community from which they derive their product. But, Richard Stallman did have some more to say regarding Novell and GPL3:
Stallman said the FSF would have no hesitation in using GPLv3 to nobble the deal. “Definitely! This deal is a threat to the freedom of the free software community, because its effect is to make GPL-covered software non-free in practical terms,” he said.
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Posted in Deception, FUD, Intellectual Monopoly, Microsoft, Novell, Patent Covenant, Patents, Ron Hovsepian at 1:09 am by Shane Coyle
According to an article at the Linux Beacon, the original wording of the Novell Open Letter to the Community contained a harsher rebuff of the FUD spewed by Microsoft in the days following the announcement of the deal:
The funny bit is that Novell chopped out a whole chunk of paragraph five in the letter. Here is how it was originally written, and the red ink is what is missing on the bit published on the Novell site:
“We disagree with the recent statements made by Microsoft on the topic of Linux and patents. Importantly, our agreement with Microsoft is in no way an acknowledgment that Linux infringes upon any Microsoft intellectual property. To claim otherwise is to further sow fear, uncertainty, and doubt, and does not offer a fair basis for competition. When we entered the patent cooperation agreement with Microsoft, Novell did not agree or admit that Linux or any other Novell offering violates Microsoft patents. We strongly object to the usage of our agreement to suggest that members of the Linux community owe Microsoft any remunerations.“
I especially am interested in the fact that the part about how Mr. Ballmer’s claims do not “offer a fair basis for competition” found their way to the cutting room floor, I wonder who edited or proofread the document and had final say, is it the same mysterious moderators from the OpenSUSE IRC chat the other day?
Nov 27 12:23:18 < JBarr-OSTG > who are the moderators?
...
Nov 27 12:23:33 < hd41 > We can't really comment on that.
Update: Also check out the Q&A with Ron Hovsepian article for further spin regarding whether or not Novell feels that Microsoft is engaging in a FUD campaign.
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Posted in Humour, Microsoft, Novell, Patent Covenant at 12:33 am by Shane Coyle
Bruce Perens has written an allegorical piece that is useful in explaining the Novell-Microsoft deal to the general public.
Once upon a time there was a software company called Novell. Novell had a friend “Big Mike” who was always getting in trouble with the law, but he was strong and had a big business. Big Mike was making big noises, threatening to beat up Novell’s customers. So, Novell made a financial deal with Big Mike so that he’d promise not to beat up Novell’s customers, but would instead threaten the customers of all of Novell’s competitors.
If you want to hear what happens to Novell and Big Mike, head on over to Bruce’s site: technocrat.net for the thrilling conclusion…
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