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

interesting that...

[joe 155]

...they see what has happened over the last 4 weeks as strengthening the open source position, Its nice to see that M$ FUD is ignored exactly as it should be - not only by companies like IBM who understand what M$ is like on these matters - but also other companies who I thought might be a little put off by the attack on linux and thinly vieled threats

Has M$ shot itself in the foot with this deal? I think Novell's marked share will go down in the home sector but I suppose they are (just) on the right side, so if they can make linux look like a more attractive choice, all the better