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IBM Weighs In On Novell — Microsoft Deal

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the i-am-the-atomic-alien-robot-please-give-my-best-wishes-to-everybody dept.

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."

2 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. interesting that... by joe+155 · · Score: 1, Redundant

    ...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

    --
    *''I can't believe it's not a hyperlink.''
  2. Ballmer FUD has been pretty well backfired by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    Considering what's been said in mainstream press this week such as ComputerWorld where CIO's have "taken offense" by Ballmer's statements, combined with the statements from IBM, Novell, and other sources such as Groklaw, I think it is clear to everyone from the clueless to the initiated that Ballmer's statements are complete bull -- unfounded, unsupported, and powerless. This thing has clearly backfired, and can just be filed away with the ongoing pathetic MS attacks on Linux, right along with the Halloween documents and the SCO debacle.

    This has really been a good incident, and Linux users should be happy to see Ballmer shoot himself in the foot so publicly. He looks both clueless, and like a bully, all at the same time. And as a dividend, the world sees yet again how well defended Linux is, from the grassroots all the way up to the corporate level. It's another deflected bullet, providing yet another real world example of Linux's armor.

    Thanks Ballmer. Keep up the good work. You may as well be wearing a GNU/Linux T-Shirt.