Xandros

Xandros makes deal similar to Novell with Microsoft.

http://tinyurl.com/3xkcq5

Chris:

Well, I guess that ends my relationship with Xandros.

Frank.

It's disappointing, but probably a necessary step if Xandros is to 
survive. It's a real business world out there, and profits are a 
requirement.

Microsoft owns the stage, controls the sound and lights, and calls the 
cues. You play it their way, or exit stage left. Novell already figured 
this out.

I don't know if Red Hat is big enough to continue the fight, but I doubt 
it. They will join in. Corporate players are *always* going to take the 
safe route when it comes to potential (no matter how slight) risk of 
litigation. They have to - the stock holders would be all over them if 
the risk proved costly.

If I were a corporate CTO, and I were making a Linux decision between 
Red Hat and Novell, I have to go with Novell, because then I'd be safe 
from a possible Microsoft patent suit.


Frank B wrote:
> 
> Chris:
> 
> Well, I guess that ends my relationship with Xandros.
> 
> Frank.
> 

On Tuesday 5 June 2007 05:33, Chris D wrote:

> It's disappointing, but probably a necessary step if Xandros is to 
> survive. It's a real business world out there, and profits are a 
> requirement.
> 
> Microsoft owns the stage, controls the sound and lights, and calls the 
> cues. You play it their way, or exit stage left. Novell already figured 
> this out.

Sorry, but the only reason why Microsoft owns the stage (now) is because the
other players allow it to bully them with FUD threats. Novell, Xandros, Red
Hat, IBM and every other company involved in Linux could just stand up
(together) and ask Microsoft to reveal what the alleged patent
infringements are, and either call the bluff or take action to remedy the
patent violations by either invalidating the patents or having the
infringing code rewritten.

What Novell and Xandros are doing instead is giving Microsoft even more
strength in bullying other companies, with an idiotic implicit acceptance
of the Microsoft FUD.


-- 
Giuseppe "Oblomov" Bilotta

Guiseppe,

Your reply is typical of the types of individuals who really do not 
understand how large businesses work. They do not "stand up together"

and threaten a company that has over 95% mind share, is admired by over 
90% of the population (that's a fact), and has nothing to lose. They 
have one goal - to make a profit that is a reasonable percent of the 
money and time invested. It has nothing to do with crusades. Standing up 
to Microsoft is a "policing" (i.e., government regulating) function,
not 
the job of those charged with husbanding investors' funds.

And no, the reason Microsoft owns the stage is that consumers have 
chosen to buy their products. The one real competitor they have (Apple) 
has chosen to be stupid and overprice their products under the silly 
notion that enough consumers would actually pay more for Apple stuff.

Microsoft has played the game brilliantly. They have made it possible 
for for their partners (manufacturers and dealers and support people) to 
make a lot of money by being associated with Microsoft.

The only way that Linux will succeed on the desktop (beyond a hobby) is 
if there is money to be made, and that requires customers willing to 
spend money on it.

I like playing with Linux, but I am in the computer business (serving 
businesses) to make money. That means I have to keep my customers happy, 
and I have not seen any Linux distro that I would suggest to replace 
Windows in any location other than machines that are for Internet access 
and nothing else.

Giuseppe Bilotta wrote:
> On Tuesday 5 June 2007 05:33, Chris D wrote:
> 

> Sorry, but the only reason why Microsoft owns the stage (now) is because
the
> other players allow it to bully them with FUD threats. Novell, Xandros,
Red
> Hat, IBM and every other company involved in Linux could just stand up
> (together) and ask Microsoft to reveal what the alleged patent
> infringements are, and either call the bluff or take action to remedy the
> patent violations by either invalidating the patents or having the
> infringing code rewritten.
> 
> What Novell and Xandros are doing instead is giving Microsoft even more
> strength in bullying other companies, with an idiotic implicit acceptance
> of the Microsoft FUD.
> 
>