Well, well, well... So Microsoft wants to help companies move their disparate Linux distros into the doors of just one company, Novell.

Didn't we read in the Halloween that Microsoft admits it can't attack the Open Source process? "Now just move right along, everybody, to that big red target over there. That's right, there's room for everybody.

Bill Gates is Satan and Steve Ballmer is his lieutenant.

If this doesn't kill off the SuSE among knowledgeable sysadmins, I can't imagine what would.

Consider: You can buy a "coupon" from Microsoft (thus alerting them that you are planning to run Linux, thus allowing them to tell their tame lawyers against whom to file frivolous-but-expensive lawsuits when they finally get around to repudiating the contract with Novell), or you can download a free distro from someone else - or get free CDs or DVDs from, say, Ubuntu, with no strings attached.

Well, if you're an MCSE with no real skills except the ability to point and say "it's Microsoft's fault, and they wil lfix it for only $245," of course you'll go with the MS/SuSE option.

The rest of us will be using a different distro. One that's actually supported by the Open Source community.

As Microsoft runs into the rapid end of life for “products” like Vista...

Its desperation to remain in the game means that its business practice of invasion via Trojan horse techniques places them into the business structure like an massive viral infestation parasite. The big difference though is that it clones the standards that already exist but with the twist of perverting the structure of the real standard just enough to fool the organism. By the time the organizational business relationships realize that they have been invaded by a hostile life form it is often too late and the host dies. Its almost impossible to remove a Microsoft invasion if it gets its roots into a dynamic business system. Take a look at the scores of business and products destroyed by Microsoft.

The “Microsoft relationship with Novell” is just this sort of poison pill.

The Linux community is very wise to the technique Microsoft is employing.

Lets just see if Dell has the guts to take a stand and actually offer a cleaner version of Linux Like Ubuntu to the general public or are they going to offer the now contaminated Microsoft/Novell version of Linux.

Linux will survive because it is an idea and not a product represented by any single entity. But I am not so sure that Novell or Dell will after Microsoft gets finished sucking the life out of them. And leaving a world of broken standards and incompatible communication protocols in their path of pure destruction. Microsoft is altogether evil.

Didn't The Reg recently post an article saying Dell was going to offer *Ubuntu* on its hardware? <search> Yep, here we are, both from early May:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/01/dell_linux_lives/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/02/dell_ubuntu_analysis/

So where the heck does *SUSE* come in?

I'm a complete Linux n00b - I played around with Mandrake/RedHat a few years back, but never really got the point.

I recently installed OpenSUSE on my laptop - the install was as easy as a windows install, and setting up my wifi card was also pretty painless. As far as an end user in concerned, SUSE is a pretty good distro - No fuss getting it running, and it does exactly what 99% of end users want - a no-fuss stable OS that doesn't require a degree in astro-physics to get running.

That said, I am a Netware system admin, and last week I installed Vista at home - Maybe I've been compromised................

I'd picked up on this too (comment by Aubry Thonon), what's the deal here? Seem to recall the previous articles alleged (at least in part) Dell were going with Ubuntu because Michael Dell runs it on his laptop... I guess now he's dual-booting Vista and SuSe then? :o) I can't find anything on the Dell site about Ubuntu now.

Shame really, I've been running SuSe for a couple of months, guess I'll have to wipe it and find something else now it's tainted! The next Fedora is out soon...

google search now reveals the link

http://www.dell.com/ubuntu

I really have to wonder if Dell will come out ahead with this agreement. I was seriously considering purchasing a new laptop with Ubuntu if they offered an acceptable model even though I don't need it, but I am now reconsidering. I realize that Dell may be too dependent on Microsoft to be able to refuse the deal and may be getting more out of Microsoft than they are likely to lose through not selling as many Ubuntu systems (which also has the unfortunate side-effect of giving them an excuse to claim that there isn't truly a demand for pre-installed Linux systems), but I'd really like to see someone stand up and refuse to accept the deal until Microsoft lays its cards on the table and reveals what IP they own that they believe Linux infringes on. However, if there ever is a true showdown, I strongly suspect it will turn out to be a repeat of the SCO/IBM lawsuit where SCO failed to produce any significant evidence by the deadline imposed by the court (even though they are still refusing to admit that there is nothing there). As things stand, Microsoft is getting away with accusing the Linux community of committing a crime without providing enough details to allow the community to defend itself, and using their clout to collect extortion money from companies unwilling to stand up to them.

There needs to be more anti trust suits against Microsoft. Like Intel with AMD, here is a great product that is at the level to give microsoft compitition and what do they do, buy into the compitation. Dell should forget about Novell and give customer the choice between Ubuntu Linux and Microsoft pain in the you know where os.