linux-kernel - Re: Faustian Pact between Novell and Microsoft

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Date:	Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:12:25 -0700
From:	"Jeff V. Merkey" <jmerkey@...fmountaingroup.com>
To:	Bernd Petrovitsch <bernd@...mix.at>
CC:	Pavel Machek <pavel@....cz>, Petr Baudis <pasky@...e.cz>,
	Linux kernel <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Faustian Pact between Novell and Microsoft

Bernd Petrovitsch wrote:

>On Tue, 2006-11-07 at 09:54 -0700, Jeff V. Merkey wrote:
>  
>
>>Bernd Petrovitsch wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>On Tue, 2006-11-07 at 09:18 +0100, Pavel Machek wrote:
>>>[...]
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>This is a watershed moment for Linux. It fundamentally changes the
>>>>rules of the game. We're really excited about this deal, and we hope
>>>>you are too.
>>>>   
>>>>
>>>>(from http://www.novell.com/linux/microsoft/openletter.html) only make
>>>>it worse, but acquisition? I'd hope not even mickey$oft has enough
>>>>cash for _that_.
>>>>        
>>>>
>[...]
>  
>
>>>And the first point in the list is "patents" ....
>>>      
>>>
>[...]
>  
>
>>I can see the lights are coming on now for some folks now. 
>>    
>>
>
>How many patenst does Novell have? Do they play in the "more than 1000
>trivial, prior art and software patents" league like M$?
>So from Novell's point of view it is probably somewhat a cross-licensing
>deal.
>"What does M$ really gain from it?" is the interesting question.
>
>	Bernd
>  
>
The Pike patent from the USL acquisition is the one Microsoft most 
wanted to get their hands on, as well as the SMP
patents.  The Pike patent controls overlapping Windows.     M$ has 
wanted to get clear of it for some time.  With the
cross license from Novell, they are home free.  Novell has a large 
number of networking and directory patents. 

Not quite 1000, but they have some very good ones on SMP, clustering, 
and form the USL acquisition.

Jeff
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