Mark Kent wrote:
> begin oe_protect.scr
> BearItAll <spam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
>> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>>
>>> Perhaps Microsoft will sue Red Hat for trademark infringement (vs.
>>> copyright or patent)
>>>
>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>> | That could be in the case. Especially since Novell, in its watershed
>>> | deal with Microsoft, has taken great care to reiterate that it still
>>> | believes that it has not infringed on any Microsoft patents. Why then
>>> | would Novell pay such a huge sum of money (with a promise of
>>> | longer-term royalities) if it really believed this? Answer? Microsoft
>>> | may have presented Novell with compelling evidence that Linux (or
>>> | something that
>>> | Novell was distributing) infringes on its copyright. Or maybe a
>>> | trademark (or a servicemark).
>>> `----
>>>
>>
>> Wrong way round there matey, MS is paying Novell the $348mil with a
>> further $40mil later. In return for accepting this money Novell are
>> immune from from the upcoming MS patent wars.
>
> There won't be any patent wars. This is sabre rattling. Do you really
> think a convicted monopolist is going to get away with a patent on using
> an icon to launch a programme, or a patent on a battery charger which
> plugs into a wall socket? Of course they won't, worse than that, the
> publicity will do huge damage to their share price.
>
>>
>> MS fully intend to get control of Linux via patent bashing. Redhat have
>> already turned them down, so there is likely to be a battle pending
>> there.
>
> MS can intend that they like, they /cannot/ control Linux, no matter how
> much you claim that they can.
>
They don't have to fully control Linux, all they have to do is either have a
stake in the most likely direction it's users will go after Vista is out,
or ensure that the most likely safety net isn't available.
Vista will sell, but we already know it is a lame goose, it's new users will
find that too. Fellow IT people have been talking for quite some time about
what the alternatives are, the first main alternative was SLED for the
workplace.
Yes I know the next alternatives are obvious to us because we live in the
Linux world, but IT people who don't have UNIX/Linux experience need a
'name', someone who already has a well established record and user base.
They can't risk moving large departments or companies onto an unknown
system.
So either way MS wins, if we boycott Novell then the main alternative is
gone, if we continue to support Novell then MS has a stake in the primary
distro (from a buisiness server/client point of view).
Have you been watching the Radhat shares since the Cisco move? After the
initial huge slump, then the first implementations of the Cisco support
system being made public. There are hard to follow because of the various
break downs, but it isn't good.
Incidentally, the marketeers were not happy with MS or Novell either with
their agreement, both dipped after the announcement. (see reiters).
>> and Redhat, MS are then free to
>> either own Linux or destroy it.
>
> What planet are you on? Are you drunk?
>
Haven't been drunk for many many years.
|
|
