Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Interested In More Linux Deals
eldavojohn writes "Microsoft has announced that it would be open to more deals similar to the one it just made with Novell. 'We will love to put that kind of agreement in place with anyone who distributes Linux software, Red Hat, whoever else,' Steve Ballmer told India's Economic Times. Considering the recent reactions to the Microsoft Novell deal, it would be interesting to see who else takes them up on the offer. Novell is due to receive USD $348 million in up-front payments. Will Red Hat cash out on this offer if it feels the impending pressure from Oracle's Linux? Will non-profit Linux distributions attempt to make deals with Microsoft?"
Microsoft and Apple are both marketing companies which hock average products mostly produced by outside labor. They slap on some shiny, do a little integration, and make $Billions. Microsoft is not a software company, its a software integrator and marketing firm. There's a difference. The advertising business model is a great fit for Microsoft. They will have some growing pains as the try to get into marketing in new markets (doesn't that sound weird to say), but I think they will do well. 99% of general use software is going to be a commodity in the very near future. What will make it worth money is shiny, integration, and marketing.
Check out my lame java blog at www.javachopshop.com
I know you're all just outraged over this, but really your opinions and choices are meaningless. Companies who _pay_ Novell/Redhat for Linux, as opposed to a bunch of dirty hippies who think everything should be free, will be quite happy about the prospect of friendlier relations with Microsoft and better interoperability with MS operating systems and applications. Ergo, neither Novell nor Redhat care about your pithy quips at "M$/MicroShaft/Whatever"'s expense.