Microsoft and Novell Open Interoperability Lab 113
An anonymous reader writes to mention that the Microsoft and Novell Interoperability Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts opened today. The lab is supposed to allow both Novell and Microsoft developers to work together for better interoperability between SUSE and Windows Server. "Located in Cambridge, the 2,500-square-foot lab and workspace will be home to a combined team of the best and brightest Microsoft and Novell engineers focused on making Windows Server and SUSE Linux Enterprise work better together. The first priority for the lab team will be to ensure interoperability between Microsoft and Novell virtualization technologies. Additional work will include standards-based systems management, identity federation and compatibility of office document formats."
Peer or puppet? (Score:5, Interesting)
If Suse has to make all the running it will be pretty obvious who is wearing the trousers (as we say).
We're at phase two already? (Score:4, Interesting)
Phase one - embrace. [linux-watch.com]
Phase two - extend. [slashdot.org]
Phase three - extinguish. [wikipedia.org]
Been good knowing you, Novell.
No research needed (Score:3, Interesting)
It's actually not that difficult. Have most of your apps spit out strings of text in some documentable (or, ideally, document*ed) format and basically voila!
What's difficult is having interoperability without actually having it. In fact, I suspect they could research that until doomsday.
Re:itsatrap? (Score:2, Interesting)
Glad it's not on my Resume (Score:1, Interesting)
Good luck to the "top" engineers who end up working there. You are a pariah, possibly to both camps.
Re:itsatrap? (Score:3, Interesting)
Not to be flippant, but wouldn't a "smart and efficient way" include a decision on the part of Microsoft to stop "not interoperating"? Seems to me that over the years they've actively and repeatedly pursued a course that was designed to maintain monopoly and thwart interoperability of any sort.
Then again, maybe this development is like the situation in the Middle East. Having members of the opposite sides in the same room talking with one another while everyone outside is fighting can be viewed as a positive step, even if shouts of "traitor" are heard through the windows.
Re:Hmmm... (Score:3, Interesting)
WINE actually provide a useful service that helps third party applications that were originally only developed for Windows to migrate to Linux. The project that does what you warn about is Mono, which encourages Linux developers to adopt proprietary Sue You Later frameworks without thinking about it. And Mono, co-incidentally enough, is the one with the close, close ties to Novell. I wouldn't touch SuSE with a 50m CAT5e cable, right now.
Re:itsatrap? (Score:4, Interesting)
Though I am stuck using MS at work, and at home (for a couple games I like to play that aren't available/playable on any other platform), and don't really mind using the products (because, in this case, they are the right tool for the job), I very much dislike the company (in the way it does business... I'm sure at least some of the people that work there are great people otherwise...)
notice something? (Score:2, Interesting)
This must mean that they're mixing SUSE with MS Patents again, which means more vendor lock-in for Novell customers...
I don't think there is any reasonable explanation, why MS is creating vendor lock-ins for Novell customers, except that they plan to buy Novell some day... (remember: Steve Ballmer saied they had found THE strategy against linux, "the enemy" - and only 7 month later, after "several months of negotiations" they made the deal with Novell.... there HAS to be something wrong about that....)