Microsoft & Novell - What changes for Sugar?

[Scott_Savage]

Everyone has no doubt read the announcement regarding Microsoft and Novell's collaboration:
http://www.novell.com/linux/microsoft/openletter.html

Seeing as SugarCRM is mentioned in a number of these announcements as a current collaboration, I was wondering what the impact will be going forward? Is anything going to change? Will Sugar get better cross-platform support for example? Interesting times anyway!

[Scott_Savage]

No-one has a comment? Well this announcement certainly does have an effect:
http://www.zend.com/company/zend_new...erver_platform

It would be great to improve the performance of PHP on Windows Server. Microsoft's direction is interesting, it almost seems like they are circling Sugar...

EDIT: I didn't realise that this new collaboration is already bearing fruit. Has anyone tried the FastCGI component?
http://www.iis.net/default.aspx?tabid=1000051

[andydreisch]

Hi Scott_Savage, I've asked our Marketing folks to comment on this.

Andy

[charrick]

The Microsoft announcement with Novell is another step on Microsoft’s recognition of the importance of open source software. It will not have a direct impact on the SugarCRM-Microsoft alliance. Instead, we look at the announcement as another validation of our work with Microsoft. Microsoft’s stance toward open source software has really evolved in the last couple of years. The company now recognizes that open source is here to stay and they their customers want different systems to work together without too much hassle. In this vein, we continue to work closely with Microsoft to deliver interoperability to joint customers. Also, we will continue to work with Novell through its MarketStart program. Overall, a net plus for SugarCRM users as well as supporters and users of open source software.

[stevec]

Aside from the specific nature of the Microsoft and Sugar relationship, personally, I don't like the MS-Novell agreement.

Linux is free software as per GNU and should be unhindered by licensing outside of the GPL and restrictive against it. The MS-Novell agreement (signed by Novell on BEHALF of it's customers) only 'protects' non-commercial developers. If such 'commercial' work is integrated into Linux under this agreement, then MS's licenses excludes it from patent protection. And nowaday's most of Linux development is commercial - funded by the likes of IBM, Red-Hat, Ubuntu etc.

This view cannot be officially agreed to as a license as it breaks the GPL. Hence the MS-Novell view that it's some kind of guidance rather than a license itself. And the guidance effectively says if you don't develop specifically for Novell and if it's commercial, then you understand we have the right to pursue you under patent control.

At worst it's divisive, at best it's ineffective but good PR.

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?s...61112171106871

[charrick]

Interesting take. I guess time will tell, especially in terms of how Red Hat will respond to the agreement. Thanks for the analysis.