[sclug] Open Letter to the Community from Novell

[Roland Turner SCLUG]

On Wed, 2006-11-22 at 10:05 +0000, Alex Butcher wrote:

> On Wed, 22 Nov 2006, Roland Turner (SCLUG) wrote:
> 
> > Note in particular clause 7. If Microsoft is maneuvered into actually
> > suing someone for patent infringement over use of non-Novell Linux, and
> > wins (so it becomes established in law that running Linux does require
> > licenses on Microsoft patents), then Novell will have to abort (or at
> > least suspend) its Linux business overnight:
> >
> > GPLv2> For example, if a patent
> > GPLv2> license would not permit royalty-free redistribution
> > GPLv2> of the Program by all those who receive copies
> > GPLv2> directly or indirectly through you, then the only way
> > GPLv2> you could satisfy both it and this License would be to
> > GPLv2> refrain entirely from distribution of the Program.
> 
> Not necessarily. Such an event would only prevent Novell/SuSE from
> distributing individual infringing programs, rather than their entire
> distro.

Apologies for the ambuguity: by "Linux" I meant "Linux" not "SUSE Linux
Enterprise". If Microsoft is going to attack, the kernel is the place to
strike.

- Raz