[Leaplist] Even pro-Microsoft SunBelt calls it FUD -- Fwd: Ballmer: "Linux Users Owe Me Money"

[Bryan J. Smith]

SunBelt Software has a good summary, and even this pro-Microsoft group
(who, at least at one time, was funded by Microsoft) calls it FUD ...

-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: WServerNews <do_not_reply at wservernews.com>
  ...  
      * Ballmer: "Linux Users Owe Me Money"

Finally Microsoft pulled the expected rabbit called 'FUD' all the way out 
of the hat. Redmond had been hinting for a few years that the rabbit was 
hiding in there, but VOILA here it is! Ballmer now boldly claims that Linux 
"uses our intellectual property". It had been widely suspected in the open-
source community that Redmond would pull the "Linux infringes on Microsoft's 
intellectual property" caper one day, and they were right. 

It happened in a Q&A session after Ballmer's keynote at a Seattle SQL Server 
conference. He said he thought it was a good idea to sign a deal with Novell
(which distributes SUSE Linux) because Linux "uses our intellectual property" 
and he wanted to "get the appropriate economic return for our shareholders 
from our innovation." 

So the deal with Novell makes Windows and SUSE play nice together. Redmond
will pay Novell $440 million for coupons that provide one year SUSE support 
and maintenance, with MS pushing SUSE. But the other bit was Novell paying MS
40 Mil 'protection money', so they will not get sued for infringement. Pretty
much everyone using and contributing to SUSE is free from prosecution. Makes 
Redmond look pretty good in court if they try to sue other Linux distros.

FUD ALERT: "Novell pays us some money for the right to tell customers that 
anybody who uses SUSE Linux is appropriately covered," Ballmer said. This 
"is important to us, because [otherwise] we believe every Linux customer 
basically has an undisclosed balance-sheet liability." 

Interesting perspective came from Pamela Jones, editor of the Groklaw site.
"My reaction is that so far, what he [Ballmer] said is just more FUD [fear, 
uncertainty and doubt]," "Let him sue if he thinks he has a valid claim, and 
we'll see how well his customers like it." Obviously open-source advocates want 
Redmond to show exactly which lines of Linux kernel code are the culprits and 
rip them out, or work around them. Ballmer continued with the following pretty 
clear message: "Only customers that use SUSE have paid properly for intellectual 
property from Microsoft," he said. "We are willing to do a deal with Red Hat 
and other Linux distributors." The deal with SUSE Linux "is not exclusive," 

However, a potential deal between those two companies will have to wait until 
the end of 2009, as Novell and Microsoft signed an exclusivity agreement barring 
MS from establishing similar agreements with other Linux vendors for the next 
three years. Imagine that, all Linux open-source users paying Redmond for using 
that code. I thought the whole open-source idea was trying to get away from that. 
Echoes of SCO anyone? I'm sure the last word has not been spoken about this issue.


-- 
Bryan J. Smith         Professional, Technical Annoyance
mailto:b.j.smith at ieee.org   http://thebs413.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------------------
        Fission Power:  An Inconvenient Solution