No, I don’t know what Microsoft is up to

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Several people have asked me in email, IM, and even my comments, whether I knew anything about what Microsoft is announcing in SF this afternoon. No, I don’t. But am interested.

UPDATE: Looks like some sort of deal with Novell is on. Look at their stock chart.

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29 thoughts on “No, I don’t know what Microsoft is up to”

  3. Microsoft is entering into an unusual partnership with Novell that gives a boost to the Linux operating system, a rival to the software giant’s Windows software. The companies are set to announce details of the plan, which includes development of technology for running Linux and Windows on the same computer, later today.

    For more information, see: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116249026689311557.html?mod=djemalert
    __________________________________

    Like

  4. Microsoft is entering into an unusual partnership with Novell that gives a boost to the Linux operating system, a rival to the software giant’s Windows software. The companies are set to announce details of the plan, which includes development of technology for running Linux and Windows on the same computer, later today.

    For more information, see: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116249026689311557.html?mod=djemalert
    __________________________________

    Like

  7. If it’s a real, honest integration project, AND they release real details and source where possible, that would be *outstanding*. This is assuming *product* comes out of it, and not just PR bullshit like the huge Sun song and dance Ballmer and McNealy did a while back.

    but if they show us the money as it were, yeah, that’s huge, and welcome too.

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  8. If it’s a real, honest integration project, AND they release real details and source where possible, that would be *outstanding*. This is assuming *product* comes out of it, and not just PR bullshit like the huge Sun song and dance Ballmer and McNealy did a while back.

    but if they show us the money as it were, yeah, that’s huge, and welcome too.

    Like

  17. “All our Miguel De Icaza belong to us.”

    You’re not joking, I am surprised that he never accepted Mr Box’s offer to join Microsoft before.

    Like

  18. “All our Miguel De Icaza belong to us.”

    You’re not joking, I am surprised that he never accepted Mr Box’s offer to join Microsoft before.

    Like

  22. Ross,

    Miguel De Icaza has declined because Microsoft recruiters and USA government H1 visa requirements has f****d him once in the past.

    Read his wikipedia entry – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_de_Icaza

    I know some companies able to get people working outside of USA and them move under L1 visa – why not Microsoft ?

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  25. Pingback: Daaahhh Avast! » Blog Archive » Ha Ha Ha

  26. I interviewed at Microsoft in 1997 to work on the IE team to port IE to the SPARC. At the time I had the offer, the limitation was indeed a Visa limitation.

    I have since moved to the US (A few years later I got a different kind of Visa, an O1, and later a permanent resident permit).

    I have tremendous respect for all the developers I have interacted with at Microsoft. It would probably be a very fun place to work at, but am still very attached to open source development and both my friends and my communities have very deep roots.

    Miguel.

    Like

  27. I interviewed at Microsoft in 1997 to work on the IE team to port IE to the SPARC. At the time I had the offer, the limitation was indeed a Visa limitation.

    I have since moved to the US (A few years later I got a different kind of Visa, an O1, and later a permanent resident permit).

    I have tremendous respect for all the developers I have interacted with at Microsoft. It would probably be a very fun place to work at, but am still very attached to open source development and both my friends and my communities have very deep roots.

    Miguel.

    Like

  28. Yep, a Novell/MSFT partnership indeed. Lots of people are wondering if the agreement violates section 7 of the GPL. SEE: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt

    IANAL, but I think that the patent protection & royalty payments are being associated with the SUPPORT contracts, not with the GPL’d code. So, everyone using SLES gets the same patent protection, none. And Novell pays Microsoft zero royalties on every copy of SLES distributed.

    But, if you’re a paying customer of a SLES support contract, then your subscription contract gives you patent protection because Microsoft won’t sue you (and hey, you have to keep the support subscription current to keep this level of protection). Next, Novell would pay Microsoft for each support subscription sold, in return for the “I will not sue” covenant from Microsoft.

    At the very end of this story at CRN about the deal: http://www.crn.com/sections/breakingnews/dailyarchives.jhtml?articleId=193501489

    Brad Smith, Microsoft’s chief legal counsel, says:

    “Every customer who purchases a subscription for SUSE Linux Enterprise will get not only service and support from Novell but a patent covenant from Microsoft”

    Again, IANAL, but it sounds like you have to buy (and keep current) a subscription to get the protection, hence circumventing section 7 of the GPL. Sigh…

    Savio

    Like

  29. Yep, a Novell/MSFT partnership indeed. Lots of people are wondering if the agreement violates section 7 of the GPL. SEE: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt

    IANAL, but I think that the patent protection & royalty payments are being associated with the SUPPORT contracts, not with the GPL’d code. So, everyone using SLES gets the same patent protection, none. And Novell pays Microsoft zero royalties on every copy of SLES distributed.

    But, if you’re a paying customer of a SLES support contract, then your subscription contract gives you patent protection because Microsoft won’t sue you (and hey, you have to keep the support subscription current to keep this level of protection). Next, Novell would pay Microsoft for each support subscription sold, in return for the “I will not sue” covenant from Microsoft.

    At the very end of this story at CRN about the deal: http://www.crn.com/sections/breakingnews/dailyarchives.jhtml?articleId=193501489

    Brad Smith, Microsoft’s chief legal counsel, says:

    “Every customer who purchases a subscription for SUSE Linux Enterprise will get not only service and support from Novell but a patent covenant from Microsoft”

    Again, IANAL, but it sounds like you have to buy (and keep current) a subscription to get the protection, hence circumventing section 7 of the GPL. Sigh…

    Savio

    Like

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