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Microsoft-Novell Takes Open-Source to China
Bibek Paudel writes "In a move to tap the growing market of free and open source-softwares in developing economies, Microsoft and Novell have announced they were expanding their alliance into the Chinese market. Microsoft and Novell believe big enterprises in China are willing to pay to have the US firms keep hybrid systems updated and running and for assurances that there is permission to use patented software involved. The companies are marketing 'supported Linux' in which they take a fee to maintain software systems blending the open-source programs with Microsoft products such as Vista, Office, Excel and Outlook.The longtime US computer software rivals unveiled their alliance in late 2006, saying their engineers were 'building a bridge' between Microsoft's proprietary software and Novell programs based on the Linux operating system. Sunday was the first time the firms publicly targeted a specific country with their effort."
In recent years Microsoft has been trying to cut piracy in China. For example, they've been working with the government to close down factories that produce illegal copies of boxed software. But Microsoft quite blatantly ignored the problem for many years. One theory is Microsoft was letting China get hooked on its software for free, and now that so much of their business depends on it they squeeze them for cash. I think this is just the natural next step to make sure the Chinese keep using their software and have the larger corporations there pay for it.
Developers: We can use your help.
So in other words, Novell tells us that the Microsoft deal was a mistake, when the result is appeasing those who are mad at them for betraying open-source to Microsoft. Now? Oh look, there's more money to be made -- by the way, it was a good idea after all. All this will do is establish a link between Linux and Microsoft patents in this unstable software market; a link which I assume Microsoft wants be able to export to software markets in the US. China is a big corporate player, and if they're able to say that MS approved Linux is being sold in China, they are much more likely to be able to swindle naive CEOs into paying for MS Linux here as well. Anyone else getting tired of this general corporate swindling?