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Posted in Deals, GNU/Linux, Microsoft, Novell, Patents, Red Hat, SLES/SLED, Virtualisation, Xen at 9:39 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Novell just one player among more
EARLIER in the week we remarked on a Microsoft-Brother patent deal that covers Linux [1, 2]. Although it received too little coverage in the press, there is this column from ZDNet which makes valid points worthy of echoing:
=> 1 | 2 | ↺ this column from ZDNet which makes valid points worthy of echoing
It’s a familiar story. Microsoft does a secret deal with a company over patent licences. Almost no details are provided about which patents, how much money has changed hands, or why, except for one vaguely worded press release that talks about how such secret deals benefit the customer through openness and innovation.This time, the lucky donor of cash for secrets is Brother, which will now be allowed to use Microsoft patents to make printers. As Microsoft doesn’t make printers – indeed, doesn’t even make printer drivers – it is an interesting exercise to try and guess what’s actually happened. It’s fruitless to ask either of the companies – and we did try. In cases like this, as in the best gangster movies, nobody ain’t sayin’ nothin’.[...]Otherwise, Microsoft’s trick of gaining revenue from licensing open-source software behind closed doors will smell more and more like extortion. As the economy sours and curdles, the values of trust and accountability will prove to be worth far more than a handful of dollars in secret taxation raised on other people’s software.
The signing of patent pacts (cross-licensing) that involve Linux is merely one battlefront to Microsoft. The other strategy being harnessed is one involving exclusion of distributions/vendors that do not pay Microsoft. This is achieved not only by Microsoft but also through its subsidiaries or partners.
“Someone with regulatory powers ought to step in.”Microsoft seemingly took greater control of VMware in order to take it further away from Red Hat. It sure seems like Paul Maritz (along with his new COO from Microsoft) is trying to steer VMware users toward the patents-encumbered SLES. Meanwhile, Tucci is up there shaking hands with Steve Ballmer and allowing all this to happen. The NYT covered the ugly story about him expelling Greene, which had a different plan for VMware.
=> greater control of VMware in order to take it further away from Red Hat | trying to steer VMware users toward the patents-encumbered SLES | Tucci is up there shaking hands with Steve Ballmer | the ugly story about him expelling Greene
Someone with regulatory powers ought to step in. This is market distortion and anti-competitive manipulation. Citrix plays this game too. Novell, VMware, Citrix and a few others (PlateSpin comes to mind) are all playing ball for Microsoft. On the other hand we have KVM, which Red Hat took control of.
=> Novell, VMware, Citrix and a few others
Microsoft is trying to marginalise GNU/Linux by controlling virtualisation vendors. Now, if only the mainstream press could realise and cover this properly. █
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