Microsoft to work with Novell on Windows/Linux interoperability

[Steve]

Yeah, weird one, isn't it!?

Seeing as we're heading full speed into a world of virtualised server platforms, it's important that multiple Operating Systems can play nice with each other, so Microsoft and Novell have announced that they'll be working together.

Microsoft Corp. and Novell Inc. today announced a set of broad business and technical collaboration agreements to build, market and support a series of new solutions to make Novell and Microsoft® products work better together. The two companies also announced an agreement to provide each other’s customers with patent coverage for their respective products. These agreements will be in place until at least 2012. Under this new model, customers will realize unprecedented choice and flexibility through improved interoperability and manageability between Windows® and Linux.

[Microsoft press release]

Cheers to UKMuFFiN for spotting this'un.

[mike_w]

Yeah, weird one, isn't it!?

Or is it, as some people have suggested, just two companies ganging up on poor old Red Hat?

[UKMuFFiN]

I think I read Somewhere else that Microsoft are worried about Apple comming up the rear so this could be trying to combat that somehow.

Reading the press release makes you think "hey, this sounds cool" but in reality I think it may sound to good to be true...

[UKMuFFiN]

Bump, no one else find this interesting then? I thought it was...

[mike_w]

Bump, no one else find this interesting then? I thought it was...

I find it rather interesting, but it remains to be seen how it will pan out. What's particularly interesting is whether Novell being granted special permission to use certain patents is illegal due to the terms of the GPL.

[mike_w]

Here's an interesting article: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11...vell_analysis/

Under the Microsoft-Novell deal, Novell agrees to recognize Microsoft's intellectual property claims. Novell in returns receives a "Covenant Not To Sue".

This is something that Free Software developers have been fastidiously careful not to do - and this insistence formed the basis of the FSF's successful arguments in the European Courts. Free software supporters argued that the techniques were prior art - (the patent is invalid) - or reverse engineered without reference to the original (the patent doesn't apply). Microsoft had argued that F/OSS developers could, and should, license its MCPP protocols. GNU supporters argued that they couldn't. Novell has succeeded in driving a wedge in the movement where previous attempts have failed.

Redmond can now return the the European Commission and point out that Linux can co-exist with Microsoft IP quite happily - it's only those cranks and communists who disagree. And even more importantly, Microsoft can argue that a major Linux company has implicitly recognized its IP claims.

[UKMuFFiN]

hmmmm indeed.

Have Novell sold out or are they planning somthing? - Is it another case of Microsoft “Embrace, Extend and Extinguish” Or will it actually backfire for Microsoft?

Heres a link to a podcast thing where you can submit questions to the guest (not specified yet)
http://reverendted.wordpress.com/200...ll-open-audio/

[magneticman]

Microsoft are worried about Apple comming up the rear

they've gotton very chummy!

[UKMuFFiN]

Theres money flying around (obviously). Im not very good with all this legal mumbo jumbo but get the basic gist of it.

Novell has an FAQ here

[GeorgeTuk]

For me in a support environment sounds good, its about time that you can have multiple OSs on a network without too much fiddling, but will it really happen? That one we have to leave to them.

As for Apple and MS being chummy, keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but to be honest I haven't seen much to show they are working together?

[TheAnimus]

I think I read Somewhere else that Microsoft are worried about Apple comming up the rear so this could be trying to combat that somehow.

Reading the press release makes you think "hey, this sounds cool" but in reality I think it may sound to good to be true...

seriously, apple don't have anything on the virtualisation scene that can begin to compete with the goings on of MS, RedHat and others.

This is about MS posistioning themself in a stronger place, where they can hook people on their technology. In the server area only. Apple aren't worth anything there, its mostly red hat as others have stated, mabye even suse!