Business | Technology
Microsoft reaches agreement with Novell
Once bitter rivals, Microsoft and Novell entered into an agreement on Thursday to allow open-source Linux software to work with Windows.
- Reuters
- Published: 00:00 November 4, 2006
Seattle: Once bitter rivals, Microsoft and Novell entered into an agreement on Thursday to allow open-source Linux software to work with Windows.
After years of trying to crush open-source rivals, Microsoft said it will provide support and technology to allow Linux to work on Windows. At the same time, it agreed not to assert patent claims against customers of Suse Linux, Novell's operating system.
In its second major partnership with an open-source software company this week, Microsoft sought to assure a growing number of Linux users, especially in the computer server market, that the two platforms can co-exist.
"We appreciate that open-source software plays an important role in our industry and it's here to stay," said Brad Smith, Microsoft's general counsel. "This will enable a new level of cooperation between open source and proprietary software."
Unlike proprietary software, open-source software lets developers share code and add functions. Users pay for custom features, maintenance and technical support. Linux is the most popular variant of open-source software.
The Microsoft partnership provides a boost
to Novell, a distant second to open-source rivals and Linux leader Red Hat, since corporate customers increasingly run both Windows and Linux machines.
The agreement comes two days after Microsoft struck a long-term partnership with open-source software maker Zend.
News of the Novell partnership sent Novell's shares up 16 per cent while pushing Red Hat stock down 2 per cent. Microsoft shares were mostly unchanged.
"Linux has grown up," said Katherine Egbert, an analyst with Jefferies & Co who covers Red Hat and Novell.
"This is a mainstream technology that major technology vendors are struggling to find a way to support," she added.
Microsoft is not the only software giant eyeing Linux. Last week Oracle made its boldest move yet into Linux software, offering cut-price technical support in a surprise bid to wrest away Red Hat customers.
Microsoft and Novell said their pact, which will run until at least 2012, is a broad set of business and technological agreements to make their products work better together.
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