It sounds like Microsoft's spin of the IP patent deal has finally sunk in with Novell... Come on, Novell -- they've screwed companies bigger than you over in their sleep. Talk to IBM, Lotus, or Apple. They were bigger, smarter, and faster than Microsoft, and the moment they made agreements with Redmond it was just about over. Dos? Stolen. Spreadsheets? Stolen. Wingui? Stolen.
Besides, even if you survive the deal, your street cred's over. And that's something that even Microsoft can't buy.
Here's what Novell had to say:
"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. 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.
Our stance on software patents is unchanged by the agreement with Microsoft. We want to remind the community of Novell's commitment to, and prior actions in support of, furthering the interests of Linux and open source, and creating an environment of free and open innovation. We have a strong patent portfolio and we have leveraged that portfolio for the benefit of the open source community."
http://www.novell.com/linux/microsoft/community_open_letter.html
