A while back we reported about how GPL 3 (GNU General Public License) was about to throw a spanner in the works and dissolve Novell and Microsoft’s cooperation. GPL 3 namely contains a paragraph that says that if you allow one Linux distribution to be downloaded, you allow them all to be downloaded, which in turn makes Microsoft’s threats completely harmless as it is helping to spread and sell SUSE from Novell. Microsoft dismissed the counter-statement by saying that it was not distributing the software directly, but Novell is still worried that Microsoft will abandon Novell and stop spreading SUSE. The alternative would be to remove or reduce the number of elements under GPL 3.
The sad part about this is that SUSE and Novell are the losers, while Microsoft can move on like nothing has happened. This was hardly the effect that they were looking for when they designed GPL 3. But then again, GPL 3 isn’t finished, there are still many who are unhappy with the current draft of GPL 3 and it will be some time before GPL 3 will be released.
