[Leaplist] MS and Novel join forces

[Bryan J. Smith]

David Simmons forward of Chris Cox:
> If you read Novell's announcement you'll get a clearer
> picture.  M$ isn't going to sell SUSE, however, Novell is
> the Linux partner of choice when Microsoft needs to bring
> Linux in on a sale.  Biggest thing it the patents deal which
> means that Microsoft won't use their patents against Novell
> (and vice versa).  Since not using patents against
> Novell implies not using patents against a lot of open
> source software, this could be a very good thing.

Even though Chris Cox has belittled my experience several times now
(largely because he reads what I say as he wants, not as I intented or
in the context I've talked about), I won't speak negatively on his
experience (I wish he could respect not all of our experience overlaps
-- e.g., he hasn't use SLES-ReiserFS as a UNIX network fileserver when
I talk about it as such).

As such, it's not a surprise to hear very correct on the patent detail.

I don't think people realize that nVidia heavily protects Linux
against Intel and Microsoft (among others) when it comes to OpenGL,
including DRI/Mesa.  It's patent portfolio on 3D/OpenGL, gained
largely from SGI, is what keeps DRI/Mesa safe.

Red Hat also has a patent portfolio, as does HP, and countless others.
 Sun previously secured a lot of IP used in Linux with not just
Microsoft, but even SCO (yes, SCO agreed to terms that protect Linux,
although not necessarily IBM ;-).  Novell has also done a great amount
since acquiring SuSE, including a lot of legacy UNIX(R).

Now they've just come to terms with Microsoft on some details, which
definitely works in Linux's favor.

In fact, until IBM finally donated 500 patents a little over a year
ago, dozens of Linux companies had been protecting Linux with far more
patents than IBM.  Kinda sad it took a lot of screaming for IBM to
"come around," and in the view of many kernel contributors, IBM still
hasn't gone nearly "far enough."

-- Bryan

P.S.  Yes, it looks like I take every opportunity to dig at IBM.  But
understand I only point it out when people bring up IP and protecting
Linux.  Until the 500 patents were donated, IBM was really scary from
the standpoint of Linux.  Now after the 500 patent donations, I've
become a bit more relaxed, although I don't like their hording
compared to countless other firms.