Shuttleworth scuttles Microsoft-Ubuntu Linux deal rumors

The CEO of Ubuntu distributor Canonical, Mark Shuttleworth (pictured), has categorically denied that his company is planning to do a "deal" with Microsoft.

Microsoft has accused the Linux open source community of violating 235 of its patents. These accusations have been flatly rejected by the Linux community, with Linux guru Linus Torvalds telling Microsoft that it's more likely that Windows violates patents, and that if Microsoft is going to accuse Linux of violating patents, it should put or shut up.

However, that hasn't stopped Linux distributors Linspire, Novell and Xandros from entering into technical and legal partnerships with Microsoft, which in addition to helping Microsoft make Windows more interoperable with Linux, protect the Linux distributors from being taken to court for patent infringement.

Rumors has been circulating on the blogosphere that Ubuntu was in discussions with Microsoft about doing a similar deal.

"We have declined to discuss any agreement with Microsoft under the threat of unspecified patent infringements," Shuttleworth wrote on his personal blog.

"Allegations of 'infringement of unspecified patents' carry no weight whatsoever. We don’t think they have any legal merit, and they are no incentive for us to work with Microsoft on any of the wonderful things we could do together.

"A promise by Microsoft not to sue for infringement of unspecified patents has no value at all and is not worth paying for."

While Shuttleworth was adamant that he would not be seeking legal safeguards, he didn't rule out working with Microsoft in the future.

"I have no objections to working with Microsoft in ways that further the cause of free software, and I don’t rule out any collaboration with them, in the event that they adopt a position of constructive engagement with the free software community," he wrote.

However he added that he didn't think the current agreements being made were "supportive of free software".

Linux distributors seem to be falling into two camps — those who have been shaken by Microsoft's patent posturing, and those who are willing to defy the software giant.

Shuttleworth's defiance is admirable, and in fact is vital if Linux is to maintain its independence. After all, if all Linux distributors effectively become Microsoft approved, wouldn't that defeat the whole point of Linux?
Source :http://tech.blorge.com