[lug] Bruce Perens's open letter to Novell

[Collins Richey]

On 11/22/06, Ferdinand Schmid <fschmid at archenergy.com> wrote:

[ snips ]
>
> I had hoped that this agreement would finally lead to Linux products that become interoperable with Microsoft products.

Maybe, but only on Microsoft terms.  One does not what the actual
intent of Novell is,but the intent of Microsoft is to squash Linux (or
any other competitor) by any and all means. Novell may be getting a
hug from the big grizzly bear right now, but watch out for the claws.

>
> There is no reason why RedHat couldn't also enter into a collaboration agreement with Microsoft rather than starting a war among Linux supporters.

Red Hat have not started a war. There were plenty of soldiers in the
fray as soon as the agreement was announced.

> What they primarily care about is their stock holder earnings.

This applies to any corporate effort. File this under no new news.

>
> So let's hope that this Novell agreement will allow Linux to enter companies that were in the past unable to deploy it due to interoperability or legal concerns. Let's hope that Linux will finally enter industries that ran pure Microsoft shops in the past. If Linux vendors go about killing each other then Microsoft won. Let's not let that happen.

You are more optimistic than I. I foresee only bad news for Novell in
this deal. Linux vendors will kill each other on the merits of their
offering, not on the basis of some trumped up agreement with
Microsoft.



-- 
Collins Richey
     If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries
     of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.