Ubuntu says NO to Microsoft

Saturday afternoon, the CEO of Canonical Ltd. (sponsor of Ubuntu Linux) and founder of Ubuntu, announced on his blog that for the moment it would not make any agreement with the Microsoft Corporation, despite the fact that some people started to spread rumors that Ubuntu would be the next in line for a Microsoft deal.

"We have declined to discuss any agreement with Microsoft under the threat of unspecified patent infringements." - stated Mark Shuttleworth, Canonical CEO and Ubuntu Linux founder.

Shuttleworth also says that Microsoft cannot be trusted, and any promise they will make has no value at all and is not worth paying for. He also says that people who will pay for Microsoft's "protection promises" (that they will not be sued for patent violation) are living with a false sense of security. On the other hand, he likes the fact that Microsoft is interested to unite the Linux and the Windows world, and believes Ubuntu can benefit from Microsoft's investments.

"A promise by Microsoft not to sue for infringement of unspecified patents has no value at all and is not worth paying for. It does not protect users from the real risk of a patent suit from a pure-IP-holder (Microsoft itself is regularly found to violate such patents and regularly settles such suits). People who pay protection money for that promise are likely living in a false sense of security. [...] I welcome Microsoft’s stated commitment to interoperability between Linux and the Windows world - and believe Ubuntu will benefit fully from any investment made in that regard by Microsoft and its new partners, as that code will no doubt be free software and will no doubt be included in Ubuntu."

Shuttleworth is proud of collaborations with corporations like Sun and other companies that are committed or that have recently changed their opinion regarding the OSS (Open Source Software) movement: "I do believe that companies change their position, as they get new leadership and new management. And we should engage with companies that are committed to the values we hold dear, and disengage if they change their position again."

About Ubuntu Linux

Ubuntu is a Linux distribution for your desktop or server, with a fast and easy installment, regular releases, a tight selection of excellent packages installed by default, every other package you can imagine available from the network, and professional technical support from Canonical Ltd and hundreds of other companies around the world.

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