Microsoft tries to back out of Linux corner

MICROSOFT HAS quietly issued a statement trying to winkle its way out of the mess it has created for itself with Linux, the Novell vouchers and the new version three rendition of the GPL.

In a release posted to the Microsoft press site, the Vole says that it is not a contracting party to the GPL v3, and is having nothing to do with it. It goes on to reveal that Novell has agreed that the indemnification vouchers issued by MS to Novell customers will not have any effect on those using GPL v3 software.

The company has created a situation for itself by offering vouchers to Novell customers to indemnify them from any lawsuit against Linux users over patents that Microsoft claims the open source OS infringes. MS forgot to put a date on those vouchers, meaning that anyone could claim indemnification at any time.

The problem is that the new version of the GPL under which Linux is distributed, GPL v3, was released last week - and specifically contains a provision to the effect that an indemnification for one is an indemnification for all, effectively bypassing Microsoft's 'choose a partner' approach to the Linux community.

MS says that vouchers will not be validated under GPL v3, and this should avoid any doubt or legal debate over Microsoft's distance from the license. We suspect that it will do nothing but create just such doubt and debate - if MS was so confident in its position, it would not be attempting to wriggle out quite so vigorously. Expect the open source boys to have a field day with this one, and watch Volista's scramble as its open sauce strategy goes up in flames. µ