Microsoft & Novell agreement: Opening closed minds is possible

Below is an article I wrote in July 2001, that was published by ZDNET. The publication is no longer available so I thought I’d post here, especially given the momentous announcement today between Microsoft and Novell. Here is an excerpt of the Microsoft – Novell pact from an article published by ZDNET today. Microsoft and Novell have just signed the mother of all non-aggression pacts, with Microsoft recommending SuSE for mixed platform work, undertaking to support the system and guaranteeing not to sue over patent issues. For its part, Novell is committing to working with Microsoft on virtualisation, Open Document Format and Open XML interoperability and, according to the joint press release, “…will undertake work to make it easier for customers to manage mixed Windows and SUSE Linux Enterprise environments and to make it easier for customers to federate Microsoft Active Directory with Novell eDirectory” The companies are also going to “create a joint research facility and pursue new software …