Linux beware: Microsoft acquires Novell, become UNIX copyright owner

[Dragonbite]

URL : http://www.itwire.com/content/view/24164/1141/


In a shock announcement, Microsoft has today taken majority ownership of software house Novell. This immediately gives the Redmond giant control of Novell's intellectual property assets including the legal copyright over UNIX. Already Red Hat and Canonical (Ubuntu) have expressed their expectation Microsoft will aggressively seek to eradicate all distributions save for Microsoft Linux Vista, formerly SUSE.

(look at the date written)

[eragon100]

URL : http://www.itwire.com/content/view/24164/1141/



(look at the date written)

:lolflag:

[CJ Master]

Linux != Unix

Edit: ....N/m. Looked at date. >.>

[tubezninja]

It COULD be funny, if the premise wasn't so horridly faulty. But I'm sure it'll get a lot of ZOMG! responses anyway :)

[[h2o]]

*Looking at date*, it says "5 minutes ago". That would be 17:50 on March 31 where I live. Still quite easy to understand that this was an April fool's attempt.

[smartboyathome]

See? THIS is why we should stay away from Mono. Novell probably bugged it so that if you installed it on your computer, Microsoft's lawyers would be notified and you would be sued out of house and home. We should boycott everything that Novell has contributed to! ;)

[FraggedLocust]

Heh. Stealth Acquisitions.

[Dragonbite]

See? THIS is why we should stay away from Mono. Novell probably bugged it so that if you installed it on your computer, Microsoft's lawyers would be notified and you would be sued out of house and home. We should boycott everything that Novell has contributed to! ;)

Earlier today Mono announced releasing 2.4 and Monodevelop 2.0 so I was already in a Novell state of mind when I read this.

[Swagman]

Must remember to copy & paste this into local forums early tomorrow !!

[forrestcupp]

You can't just throw out every news article because it was written on April 1st. I think this is true.

[Retrograde77]

Have to admit, they got me there when I was reading the headline lol,
is still march 31 here and managed to miss the (look at the date it was written) messages somehow.

Was actually really worried for a few seconds there:redface:

[Arkenzor]

Nice of the autor to go out of his way to mention the date within the article text though :D.

[Delever]

Congratulations, you gave me heebijebies for a second.

[mamamia88]

you had me going there for a second.

[Mulenmar]

You nearly gave me a heartattack with that. #-o Didn't realize that it was a prank.

That said...it's creepy. It's frightenly plausible--to me, anyway.

[spoons]

Isn't it a really good idea to do something like this? Everyone would report it, no-one would believe it!

[Dragonbite]

Makes me wonder, would Solaris or BSD be included? Or IBM's or HP's unix?

Not sure how pervasive the copyright would be.

This could even resurrect BeOS!

[Yownanymous]

This had me worried... Till I looked at the date. But still, M$ might actually do that, it's either them or SCO that brings around the end of Linux... :(

You just can't have anything for free when greedy people are in existence...

[Simian Man]

Isn't it a really good idea to do something like this? Everyone would report it, no-one would believe it!

Except forrestcupp apparently :).

First off look how far SCO got trying to sue Linux for infringing on the Unix trademark...not very far. This is funny, but not feasible at all guys.

[Delever]

I think such thing might happen, yet I doubt that would mean "end of free software". To the contrary.

[Mr. Picklesworth]

Enter "MonoDevelop 2.0 supports the MSBuild format" conspiracy theories... :)
I love that IDE.

[Eisenwinter]

I think that even if Linux, the kernel itself, did come to an end, then GNU Hurd would rise from the ashes incredibly fast.

[Simian Man]

I think that even if Linux, the kernel itself, did come to an end, then GNU Hurd would rise from the ashes incredibly fast.

I doubt it. It's been in development for 25 years and is still not really usable. If Linux came to and end, everybody would switch to BSD which is at least usable.

[Dragonbite]

I doubt it. It's been in development for 25 years and is still not really usable. If Linux came to and end, everybody would switch to BSD which is at least usable.

But I thought BSD was Unix, or is it not related to the Unix Novell has?

If there was a version of Unix that was immune, it would definitely get overrun by Linux/Solaris/etc. users that it would be paralyzed for a while before figuring out how to use this sudden popularity!

[HavocXphere]

Caught me for a sec or two there...especially since its not even the 1st yet.

Even if it does happen...everyone would just use a pirated version of linux.:popcorn:

[smartboyathome]

Even if it does happen...everyone would just use a pirated version of linux.:popcorn:

How can you pirate open source software? The GPL prevents Linux from becoming proprietary.

[BGFG]

I think that even if Linux, the kernel itself, did come to an end, then GNU Hurd would rise from the ashes incredibly fast.

I agree, kernel devs with time on their hands. The HURD would get up to speed pretty fast. Till then, I'd use OpenSolaris.
the microsoft Linux Vista bit gave it away :)

[LuisAugusto]

I didn't believe it, not even for a second. I was expecting either, a troll from boycott Novell, or some kind of joke.

-----------

GNU Hurd won't be important in the near, or far, future.

Get over it. It's either Linux or BSD (the first, it's going ahead if you don't count OS X, which is logical, since it doesn't use an OSS desktop, or applications in general).

[Mehall]

Debian have an "unofficial" version of Hurd.

Debian would have a vested interest in making the HURD work if Linux goes down, so a lot of the Ubuntu users would try that too.

[LuisAugusto]

Debian have an "unofficial" version of Hurd.

Debian would have a vested interest in making the HURD work if Linux goes down, so a lot of the Ubuntu users would try that too.

So what? There's an Ubuntu version which uses OpenSolaris. Does this means OpenSolaris will be important at some point? No.

HURD is a complete waste of human resources, but RMS is closed minded fool, dialogging with a wall is more productive.

HURD it's completely useless right now, and it has been like that for many years, it's way too behind, and I will never catch because 99.999% of the OSS developers (not-fans that don't code anything) couldn't care less about it (most care about Linux, some about BSD), and most know, that it would be a waste of their precious time.

[Twitch6000]

And the April Fool's jokes begin...

Oh joy... lol...

[forrestcupp]

Except forrestcupp apparently :).
:guitar:


So what? There's an Ubuntu version which uses OpenSolaris. Does this means OpenSolaris will be important at some point? No.

HURD is a complete waste of human resources, but RMS is closed minded fool, dialogging with a wall is more productive.

HURD it's completely useless right now, and it has been like that for many years, it's way too behind, and I will never catch because 99.999% of the OSS developers (not-fans that don't code anything) couldn't care less about it (most care about Linux, some about BSD), and most know, that it would be a waste of their precious time.I think the point is that if Linux were to go down, we'd have to shift to something else, and those are possible starting points. Everyone knows that HURD is way behind Linux, but if Linux were out of the picture, it might be much better to start from HURD than from scratch.

Not that I believe anything will ever really happen to Linux.

[Grant A.]

But I thought BSD was Unix, or is it not related to the Unix Novell has?

If there was a version of Unix that was immune, it would definitely get overrun by Linux/Solaris/etc. users that it would be paralyzed for a while before figuring out how to use this sudden popularity!

*BSD broke off from the UNIX tree way before UNIX System V Revision x (the version Novell owns the patents to) ever came out. On top of that, BSD was already sued by USL in 1993 (See USL v. BSDi), and as a result of that, BSD became 100% non-infringing. :popcorn:

[Dragonbite]

*BSD broke off from the UNIX tree way before UNIX System V Revision x (the version Novell owns the patents to) ever came out. On top of that, BSD was already sued by USL in 1993 (See USL v. BSDi), and as a result of that, BSD became 100% non-infringing. :popcorn:

Ok, so this makes this whole thing a sort-of non-issue anyway because the Linux community would probably re-direct to Solaris or BSD and within a short time have things back where they were again.

So ultimately, it would only buy Microsoft time and weaken (but not kill) Red Hat's position technologically speaking.

Oh, and the BSD guys would have a woody that lasts for weeks ;)

[LuisAugusto]

:guitar:

I think the point is that if Linux were to go down, we'd have to shift to something else, and those are possible starting points. Everyone knows that HURD is way behind Linux, but if Linux were out of the picture, it might be much better to start from HURD than from scratch.

Not that I believe anything will ever really happen to Linux.

If something like that happen... BSD will be the true option.

[forrestcupp]

If something like that happen... BSD will be the true option.

Maybe. The BSD license and the GPL don't mesh too well. They're completely different philosophies. It may be that the die hard GNU people would rather develop the HURD than to try to alter their licensing philosophy.

But for people like me who don't give a rat's behind, BSD would be a viable choice, especially since you can run GPL software with it.

But it's a fruitless argument anyway; Linux isn't going anywhere.

[GepettoBR]

it could be funny, if the premise wasn't so horridly faulty. But i'm sure it'll get a lot of zomg! Responses anyway :)

zomg!

[LuisAugusto]

Maybe. The BSD license and the GPL don't mesh too well. They're completely different philosophies. It may be that the die hard GNU people would rather develop the HURD than to try to alter their licensing philosophy.

But for people like me who don't give a rat's behind, BSD would be a viable choice, especially since you can run GPL software with it.

But it's a fruitless argument anyway; Linux isn't going anywhere.

Or they could just take the BSD code and change the license to GPL. There's nothing stopping anybody from doing it.

[Mehall]

Or they could just take the BSD code and change the license to GPL. There's nothing stopping anybody from doing it.

BSD license, like the GPL, insists you redistribute any derivative works under the same license.

[directhex]

BSD license, like the GPL, insists you redistribute any derivative works under the same license.

No, it doesn't, that's exactly the point of the BSD license (and why it's used by so many proprietary companies)

[GepettoBR]

Maybe this would be the only way HURD ever gets anywhere..

[Simian Man]

Maybe this would be the only way HURD ever gets anywhere..

It never will. RMS is just too stubborn to admit he failed at something.

[t0p]

Ignoring for a moment the fact that this is just an April Fool joke: would MS acquiring the Unix copyright cause any harm to Linux in general and Ubuntu in particular? After all, as someone already pointed out, Unix is not Linux. Or is there some kind of licensing or other connection between the OSes that I'm not aware of?

[the8thstar]

I think Canonical should buy Microsoft.

[Yownanymous]

It never will. RMS is just too stubborn to admit he failed at something.

I honestly think he'd prefer to have himself called God...:lolflag:

[Simian Man]

Ignoring for a moment the fact that this is just an April Fool joke: would MS acquiring the Unix copyright cause any harm to Linux in general and Ubuntu in particular? After all, as someone already pointed out, Unix is not Linux. Or is there some kind of licensing or other connection between the OSes that I'm not aware of?

No, it wouldn't matter. SCO Group tried it and failed. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCO-Linux_controversies)

[Yownanymous]

No, it wouldn't matter. SCO Group tried it and failed. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCO-Linux_controversies)

Sco are the biggest bunch of (insert noun for people that do things to themselves) I have ever come across, and their tactics are just hilarious.

[GepettoBR]

Wasn't Micro$oft the one who put SCO up to that in the first place?

Testing the water before trying anything themselves...

[Yownanymous]

Wasn't Micro$oft the one who put SCO up to that in the first place?

Testing the water before trying anything themselves...

Yeah, they slipped SCO a bit of money to get it all rolling. And why do you think they've partnered up with Novell and struck a deal with Red Hat?

I hope M$ are hit hard by the economic crisis...

[cinna]

Ignoring for a moment the fact that this is just an April Fool joke: would MS acquiring the Unix copyright cause any harm to Linux in general and Ubuntu in particular? After all, as someone already pointed out, Unix is not Linux. Or is there some kind of licensing or other connection between the OSes that I'm not aware of?

no because Linux is not Unix, only Unix-like, and the European union has a large amount of pc/laptops running Linux with more trials in differing nations in action, the Eu would bench press MS back into the thirdworld.

[Grant A.]

no because Linux is not Unix, only Unix-like, and the European union has a large amount of pc/laptops running Linux with more trials in differing nations in action, the Eu would bench press MS back into the thirdworld.

Also keep in mind that such a tactic done directly by Microsoft would result in a serious anti-trust case in the United States, resulting in the government splitting the company in half, or liquidating it all together.

[forrestcupp]

Or they could just take the BSD code and change the license to GPL. There's nothing stopping anybody from doing it.


No, it doesn't, that's exactly the point of the BSD license (and why it's used by so many proprietary companies)

Well, the way I understand it is that you can take it, modify it, and release it under whatever license you want, even proprietary. But you can't stop the original from remaining under the BSD license. So basically, we could take BSD, modify it to suit our needs, and make it GPL. But the original BSD that we started with will still be under the BSD license.

If that's how it really is, then that still might be a decent option. BSD can already run a lot of the software that we use in Linux.

[LuisAugusto]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BSD_license

[forrestcupp]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BSD_license

So you can incorporate a BSD licensed software into a proprietary project and release that project under a different license, but you can't change the fact that what you originally incorporated is under the BSD license. You can't just take BSD and change its license. That is one of the few restrictions.

That's pretty much what I was trying to say earlier.

[LuisAugusto]

So you can incorporate a BSD licensed software into a proprietary project and release that project under a different license, but you can't change the fact that what you originally incorporated is under the BSD license. You can't just take BSD and change its license. That is one of the few restrictions.

That's pretty much what I was trying to say earlier.

Yes, that' right. I just put the link because many seem confused.

I didn't post it to rebate your argument in any way.