Boycott Novell - already?

While the Novell-Microsoft deal can be among the worst things that has ever happened or could potentially happen to open source software development, there are already many many calls to start boycotting Novell's products as well. Novell has already posted a loss for the most recent quarter...

For those who missed, here is a reiteration of the main points of focus of the agreement, that took place in Nov 2006 -

• Virtualization. Virtualization is one of the most important trends in the industry. Customers tell Microsoft that virtualization is one way they can consolidate and more easily manage rapidly growing server workloads and their large set of server applications. Microsoft and Novell will jointly develop a compelling virtualization offering for Linux and Windows.

• Web services for managing physical and virtual servers. Web services and service-oriented architectures continue to be one of the defining ways software companies can deliver greater value to customers. Microsoft and Novell will undertake work to make it easier for customers to manage mixed Windows and SUSE Linux Enterprise environments and to make it easier for customers to federate Microsoft Active Directory® with Novell eDirectory.

• Document format compatibility. Microsoft and Novell have been focusing on ways to improve interoperability between office productivity applications. The two companies will now work together on ways for OpenOffice and Microsoft Office system users to best share documents, and both will take steps to make translators available to improve interoperability between Open XML and OpenDocument formats.

Sounds neat? Or is it actually part of Microsoft's strategy to beat its only real threat in the OS market, Red Hat? Because, we all know Balmer would go anywhere to do anything to sell Windows, Windows and Windows....Open source developers must not fall a prey to believe that Microsoft has started to love Linux...but these are signs that they've begun to feel the heat in Linux.

Anyway, that's all old news. Visit BoycottNovell.com to explore the reality behing the Microsoft-Novell deal and its subtle implications - it is a pretty interesting blog that I came across and wanted to share, which tears apart the Xandros deal among other things.