__/ [ Mark Kent ] on Thursday 12 April 2007 15:01 \__
> flyer <flyer@xxxxxxxxx> espoused:
>> In article <3056456.JlhPXzLQv7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>> newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx says...
>>> GPL 3: Will Somebody Get Short-Changed, No Matter What?
>>>
>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>> | If Novell does not get grandfathered into GPL 3 compliance, Novell's
>>> | SUSE Linux will turn into a "fork" of Linux, said Bruce Perens,
>>> | primary author of the original GPL GNU software contract.
>>> `----
>>>
>>> http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reviews/6377/1/
>>>
>>
>> I didn't read the article, but if no one buys Novell, does it matter?
>>
>
> One of the issues is about the Novell/Microsoft deal; part of the new
> draft is aimed at preventing deals like this being made which exclude
> "everyone else", ie., if Microsoft agree to indemnify Novell's customers
> against software-patent-based attacks by Microsoft, then they would be
> bound to offer /exactly the same/ indemnification to everyone.
>
> So, it doesn't stop such deals being made, it merely prevents Microsoft
> from picking-off successful distributions one at a time, which appears
> to me to be the road that they have started along with the Novell deal.
>
> Contrarily, I suspect that Novell might actually welcome such changes,
> and could even use it as a means to get out of the mess which they've
> got themselves into on this (a kind of Laurel & Hardy moment, isn't it?).
> I can see them adopting GPLV3 in a /big/ hurry, and then getting
> themselves off the hook using it.
They insists in their rebuttal (to me as well) that the deal is all about
interoperability. I don't see why interoperability should require a deal.
There should be standards. Interoperability should be assumed, unless
there's abuse in the market (which is indeed the case). It's quite
flattering to have come to the attention of the heads of a 5000-employee
gorilla. I don't think they like boycottnovell.com. Will they fight it?
We'll see... they have more resources than SCO, with just over 100
employees.
--
~~ With kind regards
Roy S. Schestowitz | "On the eighth day, God created UNIX"
http://Schestowitz.com | GNU is Not UNIX | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
roy pts/0 Wed Apr 11 09:44 still logged in
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