‘However, Microsoft said that there “is no exclusivity” in some of Microsoft’s collaborative technical work with Novell on Web services management and connectors between Open Document Format and the file format for Microsoft Office, as well as the companies’ patent agreement.’

and this quote from a Microsoft spokesperson:

“While Microsoft cannot enter into exactly the same set of agreements with another Linux provider based on the few areas of exclusivity, Microsoft can and would be willing to entertain similar deals that contain many (in fact, most) of the same elements that are at the core of the Novell agreement,” Microsoft said.

This is also discussed in a Novell press release on November 7th http://www.novell.com/news/press/item.jsp?id=1199

“Additionally, under the business collaboration agreement, Microsoft agreed that for three years, it will not enter into an agreement with another Linux distributor to encourage adoption of Linux/Windows virtualization solutions through a Linux subscription certificate program. “

that’s not to say of course that Microsoft couldn’t encourage adoption in other ways.

I agree that Microsoft could be playing a dangerous game and I too am in the dark why Microsoft would agree to pay hundreds of millions to Novell if it had something on Linux (unless Novell had something on Microsoft?).

All very cloak and dagger

‘However, Microsoft said that there “is no exclusivity” in some of Microsoft’s collaborative technical work with Novell on Web services management and connectors between Open Document Format and the file format for Microsoft Office, as well as the companies’ patent agreement.’

and this quote from a Microsoft spokesperson:

“While Microsoft cannot enter into exactly the same set of agreements with another Linux provider based on the few areas of exclusivity, Microsoft can and would be willing to entertain similar deals that contain many (in fact, most) of the same elements that are at the core of the Novell agreement,” Microsoft said.

This is also discussed in a Novell press release on November 7th http://www.novell.com/news/press/item.jsp?id=1199

“Additionally, under the business collaboration agreement, Microsoft agreed that for three years, it will not enter into an agreement with another Linux distributor to encourage adoption of Linux/Windows virtualization solutions through a Linux subscription certificate program. “

that’s not to say of course that Microsoft couldn’t encourage adoption in other ways.

I agree that Microsoft could be playing a dangerous game and I too am in the dark why Microsoft would agree to pay hundreds of millions to Novell if it had something on Linux (unless Novell had something on Microsoft?).

All very cloak and dagger

‘However, Microsoft said that there “is no exclusivity” in some of Microsoft’s collaborative technical work with Novell on Web services management and connectors between Open Document Format and the file format for Microsoft Office, as well as the companies’ patent agreement.’

and this quote from a Microsoft spokesperson:

“While Microsoft cannot enter into exactly the same set of agreements with another Linux provider based on the few areas of exclusivity, Microsoft can and would be willing to entertain similar deals that contain many (in fact, most) of the same elements that are at the core of the Novell agreement,” Microsoft said.

This is also discussed in a Novell press release on November 7th http://www.novell.com/news/press/item.jsp?id=1199

“Additionally, under the business collaboration agreement, Microsoft agreed that for three years, it will not enter into an agreement with another Linux distributor to encourage adoption of Linux/Windows virtualization solutions through a Linux subscription certificate program. “

that’s not to say of course that Microsoft couldn’t encourage adoption in other ways.

I agree that Microsoft could be playing a dangerous game and I too am in the dark why Microsoft would agree to pay hundreds of millions to Novell if it had something on Linux (unless Novell had something on Microsoft?).

All very cloak and dagger