Microsoft bestows more Linux Patent Protection

The deal is similar to the controversial pact signed between Vole and Novell last year. Microsoft's IP, David Kaefer, Microsoft's General Manager for IP and Licencing, told Eweek that the deal is that neither side will sue each other for the next five years.

The IP assurance deal comes after the release of the fourth, and final, draft of the GNU General Public License (sic) Version 3.0 on May 31, which said that distributors making discriminatory patent deals after March 28 may not "convey" software under GPLv3. Whatever that gobbledygook means.

Novell will "get away" with it, but Xandros may not, it seems.

More here. µ