The new license is aimed at undermining a deal inked between Microsoft and Linux support provider Novell in November, which implied that Microsoft has legal rights to Linux, according to some.

"We need to make sure such deals don't make a mockery of the goals of free software".

http://biz.yahoo.com/seekingalpha/07...6_id.html?.v=1

Nice FUD.

The fact is that GPLv3 doesn't cover ANY of the software in Novell's possession. With that said, it would be nice if people looked at Novell's position on the matter before posting more mind numbing FUD. The TRUTH/FACT is that Novell is MORE interested in being an open source player than destroying their whole Linux business (betcha didn't know that!). So... if GPLv3 software is necessary moving forward (and likely it will be), Novell will bend with it including altering their deals with Microsoft or whoever. Btw... though you would never know this by this post, the GPLv3 changes affect thousands of people and probably hundreds of other "deals"... which is to simply say, that while Novell has publicly said they'll change because they are PRO free software, that doesn't mean that others will necessarily.

End the FUD... let's stop posting lies about Novell and Microsoft... ok??

I read somewhere (dont remember right now) that Linus Trovalds isn't for GPLv3. Something about GPLv3 not allowing any software under it to be used with proprietary software... I dont understand a lot of the legal blabber so dont take my word for it... but what I remember reading was that Linux (the kernel) might not use GPLv3.

Question then is... what happens next? will GPLv3 software not be able to be used with a Linux kernel that is using proprietary software?

I am sure GPLv3 is aiming for completely open source computing... which is a good thing... more than that its the ideal. but does Linux have the market share to push players like NVIDIA, ATI, etc to succumb to GPLv3?

Linus was very anti the original drafts of GPL v3. He's much less unhappy with the new draft. Tho not to the point that he intends to switch to it any time soon. There is nothing to stop people using a v2 kernel with v3 software.

And the clause in the new draft that will prevent the Novell-MS deals happening again is not intended to be retroactive, so Novell's deal will not be affected by the new draft. Only if they make another such agreement after the GPL v3 comes out will they be in trouble.

But the FUD is far more interesting, isn't it..?

True. Also, one must keep in mind that it was Microsoft's sabre-rattling toward users of *non-Novell* distros that sparked the need for GPLv3, not their deal with Novell.

The FSF nor the LF have any intentions of blocking Novell from continuing in their business, as has been widely reported. They just want to ensure that M$ can't claim and patent Linux or open source innovations as their own as a result of the deal. Given M$'s history and recent claims and threats, I'd say that's a pretty smart move...