novell

Groklaw reports that "IP Innovation LLC has just filed a patent infringement claim against Red Hat and Novell. It was filed October 9, case no. 2:2007cv00447, IP Innovation, LLC et al v. Red Hat Inc. et al, in Texas."

The article further investigates the implicit link between this lawsuit and Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer's recent statements, bringing forward evidence of two Microsoft employees crossing over to the Acacia, of whom IP Innovation firm is a subsidiary and therefore concluding: "So much for being Microsoft's little buddy".

Eben Moglen is one of the most significant role players in the Free Software movement. As a speaker he knows how to touch people while explaining even the seemingly most complex issues in a way a child could understand. Linux.com's Joe Barr did an interview with him on a recent Red Hat Summit and released a series of videos of it. You can find the last one here along with the links to the others. They are all in an ogg format.

I have included this series in our feature compilation of inspiring videos on Free Digital Culture with a few quotes. It's really worth a watch.

"Novell has published details of its landmark November 2006 partnership agreements with Microsoft.

The versions of the three agreements it signed with Microsoft were published in its annual 10K filings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, providing the public with its first detailed look into a deal that some see as critical to the future of Linux. The 10K filing had been delayed by an internal stock options review at Novell, which was concluded last week."

"Linux advocates are expected to scour the documents for signs of how the agreement may affect Linux and whether anything in it will put Microsoft or Novell in potential violation of the upcoming Version 3 of the GNU General Public License (GPL)."

"Novell and the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) say they've teamed up to work on software patent reforms worldwide.

Stung by international criticism levelled because of its patent cross licensing and technical pact with Microsoft, Novell says it'll work with the EFF to lobby governments and national and international organizations to develop legislation and policies around patents designed to promote innovation."

Even as they continue to defend their deal with Microsoft Novell's stance on software patents seems to be positive and it'll try to win some sympathy on those grounds. The most negative thing about the deal was, after all, the patent agreement implications of which Novell already denied. These moves could only contribute to the further invalidation of Microsoft's patent claims, despite the deal.

"Microsoft said on Monday Dell had joined a business collaboration it had with Novell to allow open-source Linux software to work with Windows.

The move makes Dell the first major systems provider to join the Microsoft-Novell collaboration, which consists of a broad set of business and technological agreements to make their products work together better to serve corporate customers using both Linux and Windows computer servers." -- Read more

All around this isn't too surprising. Microsoft's windows ship is sinking and they want their fingers on the next big thing: GNU/Linux. At the same time they have some "interoperability" leverage with EU and some patent FUD reserves. In any case, meddling with the GNU/Linux affairs is quite lucrative for MS right now.