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I think that it's an agreement to promote each other's technologies (SUSE and Windows). They have overlapping markets, but they are significantly different that a deal like this could benefit both of them. But I think the big this is trying to make the two operating systems more compatible.

There's been a lot of hate between proprietary and open source software/operating system makers. Microsoft engineers put in a memo the goals for the new software surrounding the networking in Windows Vista, one of them being "F*** with Samba" (Jeremy Allison on FLOSS Weekly episode 14). Samba being the open source networking program. Maybe this is an agreement for the proprietary side to stop "f***ing" with the open source side, and the open source side try to be more compatible and supporting of the proprietary software and operating system.

I'm not sure though. It's a somewhat nebulous agreement. I know it involves a "joint research facility". It has a lot to do with the compatibility between Microsoft word and Open Office, and being able to run virtual machines of one operating system on the other (virtual windows machine in SUSE, or visa versa).

I get the idea that Microsoft is getting something, and Novell is not getting sued for some patent infringement problem. Maybe they feel that Linux somehow copied something from windows, I'm not sure. Or possible Microsoft is trying to avoid an antitrust suit. It also feels like Microsoft might back off from the server market and let Novel market it's Linux servers (servers should be Linux anyway :D).

Anyway, it'll be cool to see how it pans out. SUSE is only one Distro, and if it sells out to Microsoft it's no big deal (I don't think). But I think it'll be a good thing.

Novell and Microsoft are announcing an historic bridging of the divide between open source and proprietary software. They have signed three related agreements which, taken together, will greatly enhance interoperability between Linux and Windows and give customers greater flexibility in their IT environments. Under a technical cooperation agreement, Novell and Microsoft will work together in three primary areas to deliver new solutions to customers: virtualization, web services management and document format compatibility. Under a patent cooperation agreement, Microsoft and Novell provide patent coverage for each others customers, giving customers peace of mind regarding patent issues. Finally, under a business cooperation agreement, Novell and Microsoft are committing to dedicate marketing and sales resources to promote joint solutions.

I'm on forums like ScienceForums.net and DebatePolitics.com, and I thought I'd like a centralized platform to interact with the web from -- a blog.

First: WADemosthenes. Demosthenes is a character from Orson Scott Card's Enders Game, which is my favorite science fiction novel. The "WA" is for "Web Alias," also the word WADemosthenes is contains the letters WAD...S referencing gaming (the movement keys for most first person shooters on the PC are the keys W, A, D, and S).

I'm a computer science major. I love Linux, but I still use Windows sometimes. I listen to all the TWIT podcasts, and I used to watch the old TechTV, before it died (bought by G4).

I like all kinds of media. I read a lot of science fiction and even fantasy; Isaac Asimov is my favorite author. I enjoy television, but I like to ride the new IPTV wave ("internet protocol television" -- video on the net). The Simpsons is an amazing show, but I miss the old Futurama. I'm into indie music -- that is -- music that my friends have never heard of.

I enjoy history and politics. I'm a regular viewer of the Daily Show and the Colbert Report. I do not fit into any political classification, sadly.

My content will be diverse and interesting. Cool websites or news stories, stuff about TV, politics, technolgy (maybe some tutorials), music, science fiction, podcasts and IPTV shows, and other things that interest me. And it should be a lot more fun than this boring intro post :P