Why a secret patent deal won't help Linux/Windows

LinuxWorld OpenSolutions Summit speaker Jeremy Allison explains some tricky details of Linux/Windows interoperability, what the Novell/Microsoft deal really does for interoperability, and a vision for a future easy-to-administer network filesystem.

By Don Marti, LinuxWorld.com, 02/07/07

Don Marti, LinuxWorld.com: You’ve been in the news lately for leaving Novell over the controversial Novell/Microsoft patent licensing deal.

Story tools

Sponsored by:

E-Mail article
Print article
Contact author
AIM article	del.icio.us
Reddit	Digg
Stumble	Slashdot It!

Jeremy Allison: That’s true.

LinuxWorld: Now, when I talked to you a while ago, you said, "I don’t give away my software. I cooperate with people who cooperate with me. How does that relate to what’s going on here, patent licensing-wise?"

Allison: Well, kind of peripherally really. Essentially, this is going back to the misnomer of "free software." A lot of people, corporations included, hear the word free, and they don’t think about the second meaning of the word free. They just think, "oh, it’s without cost." And, of course, it isn’t. And the cost is you have to reciprocate. You have to give exactly the same terms to people you give it to that you get yourself. It’s the share and share a like kind of license. So, when somebody violates that essentially by negotiating favorite terms for themselves, that they don’t want to give to other people, then that I object to strenuously, up to and including leaving a company because of it. This is why some people in the free software community like to say software libre, liberated software, although that doesn’t quite mean the same thing in English either. But essentially it’s a word meaning the second meaning of the word free, which is freedom.

LinuxWorld: We need an extra word for free in the English language now.

Allison: I’m sure Richard Stallman will come up with one. After all, he works at MIT where Norm Chomsky works. I’m sure Chomsky can come up with something.

LinuxWorld: That sounds like a good project that maybe he can get a Google Summer of Code student to work on for him. So, you’re at Google now?

Allison: I am indeed. And you know what they say about Google? It’s like Fight Club. The first rule about Google is you don’t talk about Google. And the second rule about Google is you don’t talk about Google. Now that’s kind of secretive. But fun -- a lot of fun.

LinuxWorld: It’s my favorite fajita place in Mountain View.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Next >

CommentsAdd to the discussion | Register | Learn about community

Why a secret patent deal won't help Linux/Windows By Anonymous on February 10, 2007, 9:08 am Reply | Read entire comment The funny thing about this man is that before talks about freedom principles, freedom to share, and then says that now works for a company that seems a that accepts...

Opinion vs fact By Anonymous on February 12, 2007, 4:38 pm Reply | Read entire comment Mr. Allison is entitled to his opinions. He can even say Novell's executives are like kids eating bugs for money if he wants to. Childish yes, but that's his choice....

Disgruntled Matbe ??? By Anonymous on February 11, 2007, 1:38 pm Reply | Read entire comment Sounds to me that he's simply ticked because Novell made a move to protect Open Source, similar to how they are protecting them with the SCO situation. Maybe he...

All comments (3)

Note: Register to have your user name appear; otherwise your comment will show up as "Anonymous."

*Anonymous comments will only appear once they are approved by the moderator.