And the latest battleground the pair are marking out centres on Linux, the open-sore on the hide of the Vole's cash cow.

Following Microsoft's inking of agreements with Linux hawkers, offering to shield them from lawsuits over the 235 patents it reckons versions of Linux infringe, a gathering of open sorcerers is assembling at Google HQ to debate what is to be done.

According to Reuters report, which helpfully details what a Linux geek is wearing these days (T-shirts and jeans), organiser of the "Collaboration Summit", Jim Zemlin of the Linux Foundation, told the amassed geeks: "Guys: Be seekers of truth, not finders of contradiction."

Self-proclaimed un-evil host, Google doesn't seem to have much to do with the proceedings other than loan it a venue, but the fact that it is hosting the event is enough to suggest something is afoot.

It seems one problem Linuxers have is that there are over 350 different flavours of the OS. The open sorcerers spend as much time battling each other rather than going up against the Vole. With a bit of cooperation maybe they could make inroads in to the consumer desktop space, which, after all, is where the wonga is.

The conference is the first get-together of the Linux Foundation, since it emerged from the collision of the Open Source Development Labs and the Free Standards Group.

Maybe something will come of it, but typically, like the Left in politics, there may be too much squabbling over what society should look like after the revolution that the revolution will be eternally postponed.

Whatever happens, the host will no doubt be keeping a beady eye on proceedings.

Google Linux anyone? µ