At the time of this writing,
it looks like they have a couple of aces up their sleeves as well:
GPLv3??”As of the end of 2007, the final text of GPLv3 was released. Most of the free
and open source software community (including the Linux kernel developers) license
their software using GPL.
Open Invention Network (www.openinventionnetwork.com)??”With sponsors such
as Red Hat, IBM, Novell, Philips, Sony, and NEC, the Open Invention Network was
formed as an organization for gathering patents to protect open source software. Instead
of using those patents as a royalty stream, however, those patents are seen as a defense
against someone who might seek to assert patent rights against open source software. It
seems to be like an arms race, where it is hoped that no country will attack another since
both have ammunition that could inflict damage.
Open source community??”So far, there have simply been pleas from the open source
community to Novell to abandon the patent portion of its agreement with Microsoft.
Projects such as the Samba project have come out publicly against the agreement, but so
far no one has taken action. Some believe, however, that many open source projects will
not be willing to work with Novell, given the aspects of the alliance with Microsoft that
seem ready to punish open source developers who do paid work for anyone other than
Novell.
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