Protest the Microsoft-Novell Patent Agreement Signature List

[cantormath]

Here is the Protest the Microsoft-Novell Patent Agreement (http://techp.org/petition/show/1)
Some believe that
Novell and Microsoft's software patent agreement betrays the rest of the Free Software community, including the very people who wrote Novell's own system, for Novell's sole financial benefit.

I think that it is important to realize that Novell has done a lot more then most for the community. My concern is that this agreement might be damaging to the open community. I feel microsoft may just be trying to cause Fear, uncertainty and doubt(FUD) in our community and with in the supporters of open source.

What are your thoughts and would you sign this Petition?

Other Sources
Microsoft wants a Linux tax? (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=305928)

[K.Mandla]

Wow, some of the comments on that page are quite strong.

[d3v1ant_0n3]

While I understand the thoughts behind it, and fully support the issue, I don't actually believe online petitions actually do anything.

/me goes off to RTFA.

[aysiu]

While I understand the thoughts behind it, and fully support the issue, I don't actually believe online petitions actually do anything. Ditto.

[cantormath]

Ditto.

Thats a really good point
Can anyone find an instance where an online petition has done anything.....

[maddog39]

Dang, I have to say, now that Bill Gates stepped down, I think now we realize how thankful we were to have him in charge lol. Look at this new CEO, what a chum.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has said that every user of the open source Linux system could owe his company money for using its intellectual property. The statement will confirm the worst fears of the open source community.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/20/microsoft_claims_linux_code/

[Edit]
Read a little further, and all I have to say is...

GOO REDHAT, IF U WANT ANOTHER DISTRO TO TRY, GET FEDORA CORE!!!1
(They turned down MS's deal which was similar to the MS-Novell deal, and fedora core is the open source version of RedHat [its red hat based].)

[cantormath]

Dang, I have to say, now that Bill Gates stepped down, I think now we realize how thankful we were to have him in charge lol. Look at this new CEO, what a chum.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/20/microsoft_claims_linux_code/

[Edit]
Read a little further, and all I have to say is...

GOO REDHAT, IF U WANT ANOTHER DISTRO TO TRY, GET FEDORA CORE!!!1
(They turned down MS's deal which was similar to the MS-Novell deal, and fedora core is the open source version of RedHat [its red hat based].)

I think bill being gone is a good thing, but with ballmer in power now just means that the war is not over.

[highneko]

I read about this a little before. What does Microsoft get out of this? Will we now be typing $U$E instead of SUSE? Hehe. :3

[Mach1US]

Do not fear the unknown. Microsoft has finally saw the ghost and by this merger is trying to make sure that it will have some chance of surviveing the future in one form or another.8-[

[cantormath]

Do not fear the unknown. Microsoft has finally saw the ghost and by this merger is trying to make sure that it will have some chance of surviveing the future in one form or another.8-[

I truly believe that their interests are more then just survival. I think they are trying to figure out a way to profit from the use of linux through the some 5000 patents they own.

more on this
Microsoft wants a Linux tax? (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=305928)

what do you think?

[luca.b]

I'm not signing it. Personally I believe that petitions are mostly useless, let alone in this case, where I haven't still seen a clear view of facts only (only pro or contra Novell).

[chimay1]

Here is the Protest the Microsoft-Novell Patent Agreement (http://techp.org/petition/show/1)
Some believe that
Novell and Microsoft's software patent agreement betrays the rest of the Free Software community, including the very people who wrote Novell's own system, for Novell's sole financial benefit.

I think that it is important to realize that Novell has done a lot more then most for the community. My concern is that this agreement might be damaging to the open community. I feel microsoft may just be trying to cause Fear, uncertainty and doubt(FUD) in our community and with in the supporters of open source.

What are your thoughts and would you sign this Petition?

Other Sources
Microsoft wants a Linux tax? (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=305928)

It really seems like microsoft is starting a war with Linux..... Does anyone know why? They have so much money, it does not make any sense.

[DC@DR]

ATM, around 1954 people have added sigs to the protest campain. It's quite a number to express the feeling/attitude of Linux community to the controversial agreement between Novell and M$...Let's see what's next then :)

[Johnsie]

I'm sorry if this makes me look ignorant but what has this got to do with Ubuntu? Should I care what's going down over at Novell?

Someone please explain to me how this effects Ubuntu. I wouldnt want to protest something if I dont know the facts behind it.

[cantormath]

I'm sorry if this makes me look ignorant but what has this got to do with Ubuntu? Should I care what's going down over at Novell?

Someone please explain to me how this effects Ubuntu. I wouldnt want to protest something if I dont know the facts behind it.

A threat to linux is a threat to Ubuntu.......:KS

[Johnsie]

How is this a threat to Ubuntu though? Distros rise and fall all the time. How can this damage Ubuntu?

[Dual Cortex]

I read about this a little before. What does Microsoft get out of this? Will we now be typing $U$E instead of SUSE? Hehe. :3

Heh, I see that coming! [-( . ](*,)

[BarfBag]

I'm one of the few that thinks an online petition is perfect for a "digital war." You guys make good points, though. They've never helped anything (as far as I know). I signed it anyway.

[luca.b]

ATM, around 1954 people have added sigs to the protest campain. It's quite a number to express the feeling/attitude of Linux community to the controversial agreement between Novell and M$...Let's see what's next then :)

Probably nothing. Novell will just ignore it. It will only be different if their business partners won't like the agreement.

[Johnsie]

Maybe Microsoft wants us all to fight each other so we fail to fight vista properly.

[Mach1US]

Patents have always been double edged sword where it all became more then apparent to those patent trolling companies just as they ware starting to think they struck gold.
Anything is only worth only what people are willing to pay for. Open source community is govern by totally different dynamics then what cubicle,square check box and monetary value minded CEO`s of MS can include in the sterile equation .
Linux has always have been associated with FREE software,left wing kind of radical thinking,passionated people for what the name suggest "open source".
Do not underestimate the power-of-the-people
Totalitarian forceful behavior has been proven to fall miserably from times of ancient Rome though Nazi Germany and whole Communistic approach not to mention our very recent history.
There are some thinks that money can`t buy.;)

p.s. I did sign the petition , keep on fighting !!!

[vtel57]

I don't know if this has been posted here already, but...

please read and sign the petition:

http://techp.org/petition/show/1

Thank you! :)

[aysiu]

I don't know if this has been posted here already, but...

please read and sign the petition:

http://techp.org/petition/show/1

Thank you! :)
It's been posted. I merged you with the original thread.

[vtel57]

Whoops! Sorry. It didn't pop up when I ran a search.

Thanks!

~Eric

[Sunnz]

I have nothing against their agreement...

And I think petitions are pointless

The better thing that I have done is the agreement to donate $10 to FSF should MS launch against Linux companies/users!!!

[Circus-Killer]

i agree with some posters, those who said that an online petition doesn't do much. i agree to an extent, but i feel signing a petition is one step better than doing nothing at all.

also, at least with a petition, novell could see how anti the community is over the whole deal.

[vtel57]

i agree with some posters, those who said that an online petition doesn't do much. i agree to an extent, but i feel signing a petition is one step better than doing nothing at all.

also, at least with a petition, novell could see how anti the community is over the whole deal.

That's precisely the point of any petition, this one included. I believe that anyone with an interest in the GNU/Linux-Open Source future should sign this petition to express their disfavor of Novell's capitulation and betrayal to the community as a whole.

Just my .02... :)