Microsoft to buy up to $100M in SUSE Linux support vouchers

[PryGuy]

Microsoft Corp., which two years ago agreed to buy and resell $240 million worth of enterprise support subscriptions for Novell Inc.'s SUSE Linux Enterprise Server operating system, will buy and resell up to another $100 million of vouchers, the two companies said today.The source (http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9112979&intsrc=hm_list).
I'm worried to tell you the truth... :(

[Dremora]

How is this a bad thing?

$340 million being pumped into a company that's using it to do more and more kernel work sounds good to me.

I think the idea is that Microsoft has finally caught on that not everyone likes or will use Windows, and they may as well get some of the action.

[Dragonbite]

I agree, this is a good thing for Linux.

Linux is being presented as an option for those people on the fence about leaving or adding Linux plus anybody who realizes that there is indeed a choice in operating systems and looks into it is a boon for all computer users!

Novell has done good work for Linux, including AppArmor, Mono (cross-platform .NET framework) and Moonlight (cross-platform Silverlight framework) and a number of projects and works that go under the radar.

Plus this helps give enterprises the idea that maybe not all Linux vendors are 'rebels with a cause', fly-by-night and risky investments. In a way, Novell is setting themselves up as ambassadors for Linux because large enterprises think differently than Open Source enterprises and Novell, being a large company too, can talk regarding what is important to them as well as where Linux fits in.

I just came back from using openSUSE due to technical issues, otherwise I would still be split between Ubuntu and openSUSE and not have a qualm of the Novell-Microsoft deal.

While Ballmer may be sounding like an idiot, I think the rest of Microsoft is getting a clue about Linux and Open Source and are trying to work at interoperability.

[Chame_Wizard]

M$ wants something again :guitar:

[Swarms]

Great, that is money that is probably going to help us through kernelcontributions and other stuff like mono.

[PryGuy]

M$ wants something again :guitar:
Exactly! That's what I thought. Microsoft is not all milk, you know...

[Dragonbite]

M$ wants something again :guitar:
They are a company
They want money.
I want money.

The whole open source business model is a new and exciting one because it is the first thing that has come along that is truly different.

Microsoft isn't going to throw everything they've known and cultivated into the wind and start eating granola bars and singing "Kumbiya" (whatever) and embracing open source for no profit.

Microsoft is trying to find a "middle ground" where they make the most money they can (that's what businesses do) for the least amount of work (or fighting).

Novell is like Microsoft (big, old-fashioned company) who is coming to this middle ground from the other side.. they embraced open source and are still trying to make money.

Not to mention, wasn't the first deal for $240M spread out over 3+ years?

If this turns into greater adoption of Linux (any Linux), Microsoft having to start competing again and Linux-Windows work better together than that sounds good for me.