OT: Interesting news - what does this mean for RH?

[John Wendel]

Phil Meyer wrote:
> Steffen Kluge wrote:
>> http://www.novell.com/news/press/item.jsp?id=1196
>> http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/default.mspx
>>
>> Cheers
>> Steffen.
>>
> Several things here:
> 
> Remember the 'cross licensing' deal with SUN that ended the Java 
> litigation and enabled .Net?
> 
> This is similar, with a clear win for Microsoft.
> 
> 1. The litigation Novell vs. Microsoft anti competitive WordPerfect is 
> over.
> 2. The Mono developers and users feel better.
> 3. Novell gets some much needed short term cash.
> 
> What does Microsoft get?
> 
> This 'deal' INFERS that Novell agrees with Microsoft that Linux 
> infringes Microsoft patents.
> 
> This will make it much easier for Microsoft to attack or strongarm other 
> Linux distributors.
> 
> What do we get?
> 
> An 800 pound gorilla with a history a corporate violence with 
> Novell/SUSE in its pocket.  Not a good thing at all.
> 
> Personally, I hope Novell likes its windfall of short term cash as much 
> as SUN did, and I hope it allows them to survive the 6 year duration of 
> the agreement.
> 
> As for me, my interest in SUSE has vanished, even faster than my 
> interest in Solaris did.  I had previous to the SUN agreement installed 
> Solaris personally on over 1500 systems of all sizes.  I have not since.
> 
> See the more detailed analysis at http://groklaw.net
> 


If I were running RH, I'd be looking to move my corporation to another 
country, preferably one that ignored US patent law. I suspect we'll 
all be paying Microsoft soon (or trying to get our updates from a 
Chinese web site).

I hate being controlled by a criminal monopoly.

Regards,

John