Microsoft / Linspire covenant

[mkrishnan]

Interesting, interesting....

Under the latest deal, the two will be working more closely in a variety of areas, including instant messaging and Web search. In addition, purchasers of Linspire's paid Linux version will get intellectual property protection against any legal action by Microsoft for using the Linux desktop software. Linspire doesn't plan to include either the Microsoft technology or the patent protection in its no-charge Freespire product.

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+signs...inspire/2100-1012_3-6190846.html?tag=nefd.top

Most interestingly, Linspire users who pay for the "covenant" version of Linspire get Windows Live voice chatting in the Pidgin IM program and WMP10 codec compatibility as part of the deal. How 'bout Mac users getting those things?

On the bright side (maybe?) MS also apparently pledged to work with Sun and Novell to improve open source translators between OOo and MS Office.

 

[IJ Reilly]

On the bright side (maybe?) MS also apparently pledged to work with Sun and Novell to improve open source translators between OOo and MS Office.

The only cooperation Microsoft really needs to offer is to open up the Office file formats so they don't have to be reverse engineered. Since they don't seem to be offering this, I am skeptical about any pledge Microsoft makes to work more closely with Sun and Novell.

 

[clevin]

M$ can't keep the secret, so if the WMV10 and enhanced pidgin is available for Linspire, it will be out in the wild soon...

 

[mkrishnan]

M$ can't keep the secret, so if the WMV10 and enhanced pidgin is available for Linspire, it will be out in the wild soon...

Well, they've managed to keep the secret for some years now. But I do hope it ends up helping the reverse engineers.

As far as the OOo support, I didn't see much information anywhere about that. It doesn't sound, as IJ states, like they actually plan to fully open up their documentation on the Office file formats. They ought to at least release everything on the "old" Office formats. Plus, if they want the new formats to stick, they need to be more progressive in helping them spread beyond Office 07 on Windows.