Red Hat Rejects Microsoft Deals 287
Kurtz'sKompund passed us an article detailing another loss in Microsoft's licensing push: Red Hat has summarily rejected Redmond's offer of an alliance. The article also touches on Ubuntu's rejection of the same offer, which we discussed this past weekend. ZDNet reports on comments from Mark Shuttleworth and the Red Hat organization, with Shuttleworth stating "Allegations of 'infringement of unspecified patents' carry no weight whatsoever. We don't think they have any legal merit, and they are no incentive for us to work with Microsoft on any of the wonderful things we could do together." Red Hat was even more blunt, stating the organization refused to pay an "innovation tax" to Microsoft. "Red Hat said there would be no such deal. Referring to previous statements distancing itself from Microsoft, the company insisted: 'Red Hat's standpoint has not changed.' The company referenced a statement written when Microsoft revealed it was partnering with Novell, saying that its position remained unaltered. Red Hat director of corporate communications Leigh Day added: 'We continue to believe that open source and the innovation it represents should not be subject to an unsubstantiated tax that lacks transparency.' Many open-source followers argue that Red Hat, as the largest Linux vendor, would have a lot to lose from partnering with Microsoft."
Thank goodness (Score:5, Insightful)
I ordered a new box with RHEL 4 on it 2-3 days ago (Score:3, Insightful)
It's really time for MS to put up or shut up (Score:3, Insightful)
And if they did partner... (Score:5, Insightful)
Glad (Score:5, Insightful)
What you're asking is ... (Score:3, Insightful)
Will the pro-Linux segment refuse such?
Well, that's part of what the GPL v3 is supposed to address. Just in case.
Wasn't sling or rock that killed Goliath (Score:3, Insightful)
Live by the patent sword.. die by the
Time to vote with our wallet....when we can..... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Bye-bye Red Hat (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Bye-bye Red Hat (Score:5, Insightful)
so why would RedHat care what you do.
The bigger problem if you ever did decide to run linux is that the MS blessed distro's are as good
as dead. Go ahead and ask for some help using your new blessed linspire distro on here and see where it
get's you.
Re:So... (Score:3, Insightful)
And, as the biggest name in enterprise Linux (correct me if I'm wrong) that says a hell of a lot both to the OSS development and support community as well as the community's growing customer base.
If you support OSS then this is a positive step that can only build confidence in Linux and OSS in general. The alternative would, I'd argue, have been devastating.
I really don't see the reason for your negativity. Did someone at Red Hat murder your family or something?
Re:Thank goodness (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Bye-bye Red Hat (Score:2, Insightful)
What you are suggesting is that these companies should pay money to a competitor for (so far) baseless claims and admit a weakened and reliant position when none in fact has been shown to exist - all in order to possibly get some help with interoperability. Interoperability which, if Microsoft took the attitudes these companies did, would already be there. You are thinking very short term. If Microsoft got its way, you wouldn't have a Linux server option down the road. Good luck with your business...
Re:It's really time for MS to put up or shut up (Score:5, Insightful)
This is exactly why a lot of people are very suspicious that Microsoft doesn't do this. Instead, they just make vague statements, e.g. "Linux violates x Microsoft patents" and never specify which ones.
Although the patents are public, Microsoft has so many of them, and many of them are so crappy/broad, that it's nearly impossible for anyone to work backwards to find the ones that they're talking about and might, by some stretch of someone's imagination, apply to Linux.
So basically, it's a totally opaque threat, and I'm similarly at a loss as to why anyone would negotiate with them without first demanding to see the goods.
Re:I ordered a new box with RHEL 4 on it 2-3 days (Score:5, Insightful)
RedHat is definitely one of the good guys. While Google's Evil-o-meter has been slipping of late, RedHat has consistently been true to their mission. They develop technology that's open and freely available a-la CentOS [centos.org] and have some of the finest hacks around working full time on open stuff. (Alan Cox, et al)
RedHat tends to get dissed around here a bit because they target servers rather than workstation/desktop Linux. They are focused on making money the honorable way, and some people seem to have problems with anybody making money.
But look at their track record. They've consistently been true to the spirit and purpose of the GPL and free or open source software in general, and have been both profitable and successful in doing so. (Hint: Ubuntu is not yet profitable)
Re:Thank goodness (Score:3, Insightful)
Microsoft already tried the FUD tactic with the 237 infringing patents in the Department of Defense^W^W^W^WLinux. There's people out there literally begging Microsoft to sue them and MS hasn't yet.
So what, exactly, would the claims be?
Re:So... (Score:4, Insightful)
What do you mean by that? In what way are Red Hat "sell-outs"?
Does the fact that Red Hat makes money out of Linux and uses this to plow tons of resources into Free Software projects unnerve you?
Red Hat may take, but they sure as hell pay it back with interest.
Re:Thank goodness (Score:2, Insightful)
What RedHat and Ubuntu are doing is what Novell should have done. This way, there would be no players in bed with MS.
Perhaps Novell thought that this deal will attract any Linux migrator to them, as in "I guess if these guys partner with MS, their products must clearly interoperate with Windows, not like other untrusted types aka RedHat."
Time will show who the winners and who the losers of this are.
Re:Bye-bye Red Hat (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:And if they did partner... (Score:3, Insightful)
But in so doing they have gained a lot of bad feeling in the Free software community. And these companies do need the community's support - Red Hat, etc. have their roots in the Free software world and understand this. Novell on the other hand is a well established propriatory software company who has jumped into the Free software world and I don't think they yet fully understand how important it is to not piss off the community.
Re:Thank goodness (Score:5, Insightful)
This is different because:
That is the only way in which this is similar to the SCO vs. Linux issue.
It's not necessary to win in the short term. And in the long term, Linux sells itself.
The fact that you're 100% MS is proof (Score:3, Insightful)
Giving in to a bullies demands for protection money is NEVER a good idea. That should be simple enough for even a MS fanboy to understand.
Re:Thank goodness (Score:4, Insightful)
All of that assumes that Microsoft has any legitimate patents (if we pretend software patents are legitimate in the first place) that cover anything in the Open Source world. Just like a DA will pile on bogus charges to give himself a better bargaining position IT companies slip through hundreds of junk patents that would never withstand scrutiny for the same reason. If Microsoft sues anyone they run a serious risk of having their precious patents invalidated.
Re:Bye-bye Red Hat (Score:5, Insightful)
I think what you're trying to say is "a lack of proprietary apps on linux is why I cant consider it", because most likely, you dont want apps that actually do the job best, as much as you want apps where, when something goes wrong, you have a company that you can point a finger at and say "It's not my fault, it's theirs. Call them and make them fix it." Plenty of companies run on linux machines. I run a full OS server shop here at the University I work at. Do you think I am handicapping myself to a subset of applications? No. When I need an app for something, I google for it, and so far I havent had that fail for me yet.
The only option linux tends to have trouble with is games. So maybe you cant convert your Windows shop to linux because you dont want to lose the ability to play World of Warcraft at work?
Im sorry, but I have a hard time taking any of your statements with any sort of merit. You're nothing more than a troll with backwards, dated ideas on what linux is, and you have no intention to do any research or ever attempt to change them. Have fun living in the 1980s.
Re:Not smart. (Score:1, Insightful)
Just as your username goes a long way to explain things....
Priating Windows is NOT doing your part (Score:3, Insightful)
The moral of this story: The only way to "stick-it" to Microsoft, is to not use their products at all, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Re:I ordered a new box with RHEL 4 on it 2-3 days (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:So... (Score:3, Insightful)