Robert Love Resigns from Novell

An anonymous reader writes "Robert Love who was the Chief Architect of Novell's Linux Desktop has resigned today. Robert is a prominent Linux kernel hacker, author and journalist in the Linux community. His blog doesn't specify why he resigned, but after colleague and friend Jeremy Allison's departure from Novell in protest of the Microsoft-Novell deal, this might be the latest fallout from it."

On one hand ...

[WrongSizeGlass]

... I'm sure he'll end up at a company where his talent's can be used to further Linux's position in the desktop marketplace.

On the other hand this is another nail in Novell's coffin as they suffer through being possessed by Microsoft.

Re:Speculation is Lame

[panaceaa]

My feelings are quite the contrary.

The FAQ on the Novell/Microsoft deal is filled with business doublespeak, but one sentence of it strikes me: "Novell will continue to promote Linux as the premier platform for core infrastructure and application services." It strikes me because it is the only sentence stating what Novell will continue doing after the agreements. It's a feel good sentence, sounding like "oh, Novell's continuing Linux development," but really explicitly stating the parts of Linux it will continue on. Considering that Novell was actively developing the Linux Desktop, and Robert Love was "Chief Architect, Linux Desktop, at Novell" [wikipedia.org], it's apparent that the Linux Desktop is one of the items Novell will NOT continue.

changed indeed

[Anonymous Coward]

Perspectives were changed as a result.

Mine was. Before the deal I used SuSe exclusively. I knew that it wasn't a purely free OS, what with YAST and Adobe and NVIDIA binary RPMs being sent along with it...but it was at least MS-free which is exactly what I liked about it.

I switched to Fedora. It wasn't easy to set up, but I have that nice, clean MS-free feeling again when I turn on my machine. Now that I have struggled through the hard part, I like Fedora better than Suse. I won't be switching back.

Re:...maybe NOW Novell will pay attention?

[Anomolous Cowturd]

Hmm... if all it takes to get permanent immunity to Microsoft FUD is being one of Novell's customers, maybe Novell should start selling 50 cent insurance policies?

Re:Speculation is Lame

[pallmall1]

What does the Microsoft Novel deal do that is just so damn bad?

Novell gets (real) money for "intellectual property" (ip) in linux which may have been used by microsoft, but since the "infringing" ip is never identified, Novell may in fact be keeping money for ip that rightfully belongs to other linux community developers.

Fact: money was paid.

Fact: the ip supposedly paid for has not been identified.

Fact: Ballmer says linux contains microsoft ip.

Fact: Ballmer says the infringing ip is also contained in linux distributions other than just Novell.

Conclusion: Novell and microsoft claim that the only linux ip infringed upon by microsoft is ip that belongs to Novell, or Novell has received payment for ip that does not belong to them, or Novell licensed the use of technology from microsoft without the consent of the copyright/patent holder of the code licensed.

In short, the Novell-microsoft deal has clouded the title to the entire linux codebase.

Re:Speculation, false.

[Daniel Phillips]

I am rather cross with you for lending your verbal support to Novell/Ximian's ignoble agenda to push KDE out of its well deserved and much loved position as the default desktop of the SuSE distribution. Which as you will recall, sparked a veritable customer revolt. How arrogant of you and those others involved. No, contrary to your claim [rlove.org], Ximian's offering is the second best Linux desktop, in my opinion. To be honest, I find Ximian's desktop downright irritating, clumsy, limited, buggy and really badly coded (yes I have been in there). However it is a fact that you have supported and continue to be an apologist for that cynical attempt to push KDE out of SuSE, that is not in doubt.

What is offtopic about that? It is a reasoned and honest response to the claim made on this page [rlove.org], linked from this article. On topic I say. And somebody with mod points yielded to the temptation to play the role of censor.

Re:Speculation, false.

[mrchaotica]

In that case, would you mind ending the speculation by simply telling us the reason (if it was business-related; otherwise just tell us "it's private")? Curious minds want to know...