Jaslabs: High performance Software

By Justin Silverton

“Thursday, Microsoft’s Ballmer said that the Redmond, Wash. developer was ready to cut a deal with Red Hat similar to the one it struck with Linux seller Novell last week. “We are willing to do the same deal with Red Hat Linux and other Linux distributors,” Ballmer was quoted by the Seattle Post-Intellengencer during a Q&A at an sql database conference.”

The Microsoft/Novell Deal includes patent protections, support cooperation, and co-development agreements. 

In a recent turn of events, Red Hat has reject Microsoft’s offer:

“We do not believe there is a need for or basis for the type of relationship defined in the Microsoft-Novell announcement,” said Mark Webbink, Red Hat’s deputy general counsel, in an e-mail. “[But] Red Hat has and will continue to work with Microsoft on true interoperability and open standards in the way we did in advising them in the development of their Open Specification Promise.”

What will this mean for RedHat?  Are they going to be sued for patent violations or will the prevail as Microsoft’s competitor?