IBM Weighs In On Novell — Microsoft Deal

Azul writes "In an interview, Scott Handy, IBM's VP of Worldwide Linux and Open Source, has stated IBM's position on the recent Novell-Microsoft agreement. According to Handy, Novell has been quite clear that they had never agreed that Microsoft had any proof of Microsoft patent violations in Linux." From the article: "'IBM has long supported interoperability between Windows and Linux. As supporters of open source and open standards, we applaud any effort to bridge this gap.' ... Looking ahead, Handy said that despite the outcry in some circles about Novell's deal with Microsoft, IBM will be making 'No change in our partnership with Novell ... IBM has two strategic Linux partners, Red Hat and Novell. This has served us very well for seven-years. Over 90 percent of the Linux server market now belongs to those two companies and the industry has consolidated around those two leaders,' he added."

Comments

At least IBM..

[Anonymous Coward]

.. Isn't falling for the FUD and they're standing next to their partners. Given that announcement and what SCO just went through with IBM, maybe this will make Microsoft think twice before pushing the issue..

Re:Duh

[Anonymous Coward]

No; There is only one reason IBM plays down the patents. IBMs greatest fear is that the patent system will be shut down. They are the only company in existence which can afford to make serious money from patents. Patent trolls can't because they could easily be shut down by legislation (10s of millions is not serious money; just calculate how few lawyers you can keep on that). Microsoft can't because their patents are mostly jokes and are _all_ dependend on IBM patents. This leaves only IBM and a few telecomms companies who also have claims to early computing technology.

The thing which is most interesting is that IBM could just say "we will sue Microsoft's customers out of existence, starting from the most important and working down; stopping only when we reach our own customers, and only in the case where we consider them as important customers". They never say this and they never ever even hint at it. It almost makes you think that Microsoft's strategy is deliberately designed to bring patents into disrepute and IBM is trying to keep the whole situation calm. Think about how much Microsoft loses on patents each year (billions? tens of billions?) compared to the money they make (a few million). Do you really think they can affort to see pantents become more important?

Conspiration Theory

[OpenSourced]

What if Novell was simply used by Microsoft as a proxy for buying SUSE ? Perhaps everything was already prepared when Novell adquired SUSE. It would have been certainly much more difficult and expensive for Microsoft to attempt the deal. After all, it was just three years ago. The round number (almost exactly 3 years) is also suspicious.

I'm not following this too much, so if this conspiration theory has already been aired, just mod me down. If not, I require full bragging rights for it :o)