Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online) [LWN.net]

CBR Online reports on the signing of twelve new Linux coupon customers to the Novell and Microsoft interoperability agreement, which offers support for SUSE Linux Enterprise. "Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and AIG Technologies signed up in December 2006, a month after the scheme was announced, while Wal-Mart came on board in January and HSBC in March. Now added to that list are: 1blu, Arsys, Fujitsu Services, Gordon Food Service, Gulfstream Aerospace, hi5 Networks, Host Europe, Nationwide, Prisacom, Reed Elsevier, Save Mart Supermarkets, and California's Department of Fish and Game."

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Deutsche Bank again?

Posted May 10, 2007 22:27 UTC (Thu) by kh (guest, #19413) [Link] (2 responses)

Isn't Deutsche Bank the same group that were both moral and financial support to the SCO lawsuit?

Deutsche Bank again?

Posted May 11, 2007 0:20 UTC (Fri) by ncm (guest, #165) [Link]

I don't know about Deutsche Bank, but I do recall that Credit Suisse was involved in crooked stock manipulations in the VA Linux IPO (and many others).

Deutsche Bank again?

Posted May 11, 2007 3:09 UTC (Fri) by dmarti (subscriber, #11625) [Link]

Yes, and Reed Elsevier is the same company that hired a former Enron PR guy to attack Open Access science journals.

Friends of Bill???

Posted May 10, 2007 22:44 UTC (Thu) by ken_i_m (guest, #4938) [Link]

How many degrees of seperation in this membership roll of the friends of Bill club?

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 10, 2007 23:53 UTC (Thu) by drag (guest, #31333) [Link]

If you told me two years ago that Microsoft would be selling Linux to people I would of told you that, while legally and technically possible, your a complete loon.

Of course leave it up to Microsoft to find the most idiotic and distastefull way possible to accomplish that while still being in the letter of the law.

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 11, 2007 5:33 UTC (Fri) by jfj (guest, #37917) [Link] (6 responses)

All these companies that you mention, are the major members of the patent lobby. In other words, if software patents are accepted in europe, Deutsche Bank's profits will increase significantly because what was until recently "hot air", is now "valuable property".

Now the question is, where exactly does GPL say that "you can charge coupons for this program"?

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 11, 2007 7:12 UTC (Fri) by drag (guest, #31333) [Link] (5 responses)

There is nothing the GPL that says you can't charge money for it...

The patent covenant stuff is distasteful, but it's still valid. Realy instead of looking at this that your paying money for the actual software your paying money for the ability to join the 'Microsoft Won't Sue You Club'.

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 11, 2007 10:25 UTC (Fri) by smitty_one_each (subscriber, #28989) [Link] (3 responses)

It's a fine gateway drug.
My contention is that once companies get their mind around the idea of having the source code, and not the lock-in, selling their souls to Redmond will become increasingly unpalatable.
Admired from a distance, the MicroSoft/Novell deal is just another stage in the demise of proprietary domination.
You could wish it were quicker, but face it: bad ideas die slowly.

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 11, 2007 12:09 UTC (Fri) by drag (guest, #31333) [Link] (2 responses)

The shitty thing about it, the worst part is that I beleive by agreeing to accept the coupon then they have to agree not to redistribute the software.

so people that end up buying the coupon are signing away their ability to contribute code back to the community.

I don't know about this for a fact, but I _think_ I read it somewere. If this is true then it's absolutely horrible.. I wouldn't beleive what I am saying here without a confirmation.

Also I don't see how this would actually be legal to enforce something like this, but corporations tend to be wrapped up in red tape a paranoia that the legality is a kinda secondary issue.

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 11, 2007 18:56 UTC (Fri) by raven667 (subscriber, #5198) [Link] (1 responses)

I don't know about this for a fact, but I _think_ I read it somewere. If this is true then it's absolutely horrible.. I wouldn't beleive what I am saying here without a confirmation.

While is is good to disclaim, why muddy the waters with incorrect information? I think it would generally be worthwhile to verify claims such as you are making before spreading disinformation about them.

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 12, 2007 6:10 UTC (Sat) by drag (guest, #31333) [Link]

I don't know were to look for it, hoping somebody else would recognize what I was talking about.. Another victom of Lazyweb I suppose.

I would like to see the actual Novell/Microsoft agreement, but I suppose Eben Molgen saw it and if it had something like what I mentioned in it then he would of objected to it...

I think I remember were I heard about that before, now. It was a interview with Jeremy Allison after he resigned from Novell. He implied that Microsoft was doing patent deals 'under the table' well before they got involved with Novell, and he mentioned something like that. Although I can't find the interview right now (he has done lots of interviews since then!)

So it's pretty unsubstantiated rumor. Sorry.

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 14, 2007 18:37 UTC (Mon) by jfj (guest, #37917) [Link]

I vaguely remember the phrase "you can charge a distribution fee" and "support fee". Maybe that was GPL 1.0 though...

Now "you can charge for legal protection to avoid sued for using this program" is something completely different and almost sounds like "give us money for this code someone else wrote or we'll sue you".

This is complicated legal stuff but maybe the FSF/Linux Foundation and others could have a case if this was brought to court.

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 11, 2007 6:26 UTC (Fri) by kune (guest, #172) [Link]

For the record: Deutsche Bank participated in an investment round of 15 million Euros for Suse
Linux AG in 2001.

http://www.pcwelt.de/index.cfm?pid=34&pk=19201

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 11, 2007 20:10 UTC (Fri) by fjorba (guest, #6175) [Link]

And Prisacom (http://www.prisacom.com/) is the editor of «El País», the leading Spanish newspaper; in general a good and quality one. However, they often post pro-Microsoft articles and supplements, like that one, where the former newspaper director said, in an interview with Steve Ballmer, that he didn't belive that Microsoft was so evil, but rather the opposite (my memory; the article is not freely available to non-subscribers):

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/sociedad/Democracia/era/di...
http://barrapunto.com/articles/06/10/22/1510227.shtml

Novell and Microsoft detail 12 new Linux coupon customers (CBR Online)

Posted May 14, 2007 18:11 UTC (Mon) by stock (guest, #5849) [Link]

Why would fortune 50 customers, like Deutsche Bank, be tempted to buy into el cheapo Linux coupons? Ain't such a 'New Deal' offering more like some Software Welfare Program, tailor made for 3rd world countries who are troubled by debt vultures?