Novell backs away from Ballmer comments on Linux
Novell Inc. on Monday distanced itself from comments last week by Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer that the Linux operating system infringes on Microsoft patents, although the two companies said that their recently-unveiled alliance remains intact.
"We disagree with the recent statements made by Microsoft on the topic of Linux and patents," Novell CEO Ron Hovsepian wrote in an open letter posted on Novell's site. "Importantly, our agreement with Microsoft is in no way an acknowledgment that Linux infringes upon any Microsoft intellectual property. To claim otherwise is to further sow fear, uncertainty and doubt, and does not offer a fair basis for competition."
A once-bitter rival of Microsoft and creator of the SUSE Linux distribution that competes with Windows, Novell signed an agreement with Microsoft on Nov. 2 in which both companies pledged to make their software work together better, help each other with sales and marketing and protect their corporate customers against possible patent lawsuits.
