Published at LXer:

"I think Microsoft doesn't care what you run if it's entertainment you are after, as long as it's DRM'd so they control access that way, and so long as there's a "Microsoft tax", so to speak, on Linux, which encourages the continued use of Office in the workplace as the de facto standard. It does intend to kill ODF, I gather, and Novell is apparently going to help them try. " as usual, PJ offers up plenty of solid information--TC

Read More...

From the related article on the same page, MS FUDs like SCO, Red Hat Responds. and MS/Novell Transcript Available:
It is amazing me that Microsoft can just walk in and claim they own everything. The real problem is that you have companies like Novell that are willing to take the bait. Wait--I forgot, the various Linux companies may be hoping Microsoft would end up buying them and all the CEOs, Presidents, major shareholders and so forth could walk away with a lot of money in their pockets. This was very smart of Microsoft. It is easier to buy out the competition than compete--and Microsoft can afford it.

i'm no lawyer, so could someone please tell me if process patents cover GPL'd code or does GPL take precedence over those patents?

it would better help my understanding of the legal issue at hand.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said his company is open to talking to other Linux distributors about reaching mutual patent coverage deals similar to the agreement signed Nov. 2 with Novell.

How do you get the same deal if they are already committed to recommend SuSe as the primary linux to use if a customer wants linux? They can't recommend your distro too, that would break their deal with SuSE no?

We will never be free from the oppression of big business as long as we keep using distros owned or made by big companies. The only reason I picked openSUSE is because it could safely partition my Windows drive. I do not know if this is true with Ubuntu.