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A Novell Auction Would Be Bad for Open Source

Posted by Scott_Ruecker on · 3 comments
OStatic; By Sam Dean
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Once again, the buzz has grown surrounding rumors that Novell may soon be snapped up in a buyout. As many as 20 companies may have registered bids for the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Matt Asay notes that an auction of the company could become a patent troll bonanza, and I have to agree. Let's remember that Novell is no spring chicken. It owns lots of patents and lots of legacy applications. Overall, it would not be good to see Novell bought out, partly because it's one of the few U.S.-based public companies focused primarily on open source.

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Comments (3)

I've actually been worried about this happening for a long time now. If patent trolls get a hold of Novell's patents (which include things like administration of a network of machines from a single terminal, software updaters, context-aware searches, and many others), things could get real bad for Linux.

Things could also get real bad for Microsoft which is why I'm sure they entered into a cross patent licensing deal with Novell in the first place.

Hoping that some Linux-friendly company buys them.
> things could get real bad for Linux.

Or, as those "patents" are finally given their test in court, they all get thrown out in a blizzard of prior art and obviousness.

> Things could also get real bad for Microsoft which is why I'm sure they entered into a cross patent licensing deal with Novell in the first place.

Microsoft is a perfect example of a "patent holder" who knows it would never stand up in court.

Look what Groklaw did in the various Microsoft-funded trial cases, coordinating the power of many interested people to defeat ignorance, and in the process making the SCOX patent troll look like a fool.

Which reminds me, I need to refresh my memory of what Darl looks like so I can slap him (figuratively speaking) if I ever see him on the street.
Bob,

You know what this means ...

Quoting: [...] I need to refresh my memory of what Darl looks like so I can slap him [...] if I ever see him on the street.
Pistols or sabers at dawn. If so I will be your second and plug him from a distance if he turns prematurely to attack*. It must be expected, from the sleaze environment which his type thrives.

YBT

* An idealist, such as you, would be caught unaware.

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