The Xandros distribution of Linux has entered into a patent deal with Microsoft similar to that of Novell.
Please Add Your Signature. 64 people have added their signatures to this document.
For those who have never heard of Xandros (which will be a lot of you), it's a commercial distribution descended from Corel's Linux system, funded by the same VCs that funded Ximian, and derived from Debian at one point, although I don't know how much comes from there any longer. They've been around a long time, although for obvious reasons I can't believe they are very successful.
They took the money that Microsoft offered. That's really all the news there is here - that Microsoft found another foundering commercial Linux distribution willing to sign up to the patent covenant and give it publicity. The technical aspects are irrelevant, as they indeed are in the Novell deal. Xandros is a little fish without significant technology to offer. Even in the case of Novell, nobody needed Microsoft's help with virtualization - the only thing Microsoft can offer is the slight performance increment of paravirtualization for Windows over the full virtualization that is available now.
There's not much to do about Xandros. They aren't a big player, this isn't going to make them into one. We should turn away from them as was the case with Novell, but it seems a bit silly since most of us didn't even know they existed.
You may add your personal note to Xandros to this page.
Note from Chris Gagnon: What patents do you need to be protected from? Did they give you a list? Microsoft just prevented you from being a part of the future of linux and all the new cool programs that will be licensed under the gpl v3. And remember kids... Friends don't let friends use Xandros and Novell.
Note from Sean Henderson : Xandros Staff, as a long time Linux Server user I've been following Xandors in hopes of eventually deploying a commercially supported desktop for both home and corporate users. Being based on Debian gave your distro a huge + in my mind. Making deals with Microsoft that sow FUD in the very community that your work is based on is a huge step back and basically removes you from consideration, at least for me. I hope for your sake that whatever you feel you have gained from this deal with Microsoft is valuable enough to you to offset the ill will and feeling of betrayel your actions will most likely cause in the Open Source community. Please take my words as coming from a concerned IT Administrator. There are no hard feelings here, business is business. But by participating in Microsoft's efforts to damage the reputation of Open Source software you are affecting mine and many others right to do business on our own terms. Thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter.
Note from Jesse Welling: For the sake of the GPL, would any one at Xandros be kind enough to enumerate why this was a good idea? What does Novell have now that looked appealing to you? And would you be so kind as to open up the contract so the public can see what was so important? I wouldn't ask this of a company like Microsoft, but you have made your money on the backs of developers who believe in something more important than money. Don't you owe it to them to explain your actions?
Note from Kirill Khazan: Please fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the spectacular view, as our aircraft descends into the depths of Netcraft Hell.
Note from denis g miller: this is one of two scenarios. Xandros was broke and needed money quick to stay alive so they took the money knowing they were about to loose their customers and developers (aka forum members) or they were shown real patents that maybe in a blue moon could be used to litigate them to bankruptcy. Either way they have failed all us users and their ethics courses I guess they skipped out of in school
Note from Andreas K. Förster: Who was paying for the deal? Microsoft? Xandros surely isn't a big threat to Microsoft. So please ask yourself: What are they paying for?!
Note from Roy Schestowitz: Those who sell out their suppliers (the developers) shall run out of business.
Note from Paul J. Thompson: Another reprehensible deal but soon I am sure just history. Xandros was just a a parasite. It took from FOSS but never gave back. While in the past they at least were promoting Linux, for now, RIP,
Note from Michael Biddulph: FUD victims.
Note from H: You took the money MS offered...good for you. But noone really cared for Xandros before, and I bet no one will now. Maybe if you had turned it down, you might have gotten some good press. The axiom that no press is bad press stands only if anyone knows you are out there in the first place. Now, all you have to deal with is a bunch of pissed off geeks. Have fun!
Note from Christian Fernandez: Stop thinking in yourself Xandros and think in every one... you are becoming a leach to the community with this deal.. and you will suffer at the end. long life GPLv3
Note from Bake Timmons: The Xandros management could not have been unaware of the controversy that the Microsoft-Novell deal created, Steve Ballmer's regular threats against the free software community, and the increased threats that Microsoft has been making lately about infringement of patents that they refuse to disclose. This deal with Xandros seems to fall into this ugly design of Microsoft's and shows that the few customers they have should seek a vendor that is more trustworthy. Such a disregard for community norms makes for an unsustainable business strategy. Boycott Xandros.
Note from Matthew Flaschen: It is impossible to pretend you didn't know what you were getting into. You saw the backlash that resulted from Novell's patent deal. You knew the GPLv3 was being written to block future deals like it. Novell got grandfathered in, but all your deal's too late for any immunity. I don't know how you expect your distribution to survive without GPLv3 software. Please back out of the patent deal before it's too late.
Note from Victor Matthews: Show us the terms of the deal. You use our code and then make a deal to allow someone else to use it against us? shame.
Note from Jerome D. McBride: I liked Xandros... But not anymore. I'll be loading another, different distro over the last Xandros box this weekend. And that, my friend, is freedom of choice.
Note from Thomas McNeely: Way to bite the hand that feeds you. What could you possibly be thinking? You need the good will of the community much more than the community needs your distro.
Note from guruh irianto: Linux user, software developer, translator
Note from Tom Russell: Linux distros rely on community support. Kill this and you kill yourself. You also send your community into the arms of your competitors. Or maybe your vision has been compromised by MS and it's now all about the money. They are just using you to beat the antitrust rulings from the EU and elsewhere. I hope you've sorted out your retirement / reemployment package because no one in the FLOSS mob will ever trust you again.
Note from Anthony Dodson: From increasingly irrelevant flash-in-the-pan to drain circling pariah in one fatal step.
Note from Reinaldo Fernandez: I was not aware Xandros still existed, until I read about this deal. What a pitiful way to get people to hear about the company.
Note from : A proprietary File Manager I could deal with, but now this?! Now I will convince my father's business to not upgrade Xandros and switch to something else; whatever it will be, it won't be Suse.
Note from Larry Cafiero: I hadn't heard much from Xandros until now -- and now I know what a paraiah it has become. Shame on you.
Note from Cristian Molina: I think you follow the Corel curse....bad decitions. Enjoy the money as I enjoy using a real community GNU/Linux distro.
Note from Darth Chaos: Xandros was the first Linux distribution that I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, Xandros has chosen to sell their collective soul to the digital devil, so now I have chosen to bid adieu to Xandros. Shame on you, Typaldos and Co., for selling out. Shame on you all. I hope Xandros goes out of business, and I hope the entire Xandros executives are reduced to penniless bums on the street.
Note from Robert Jakiel: It's a sad day when a floundering company has to accept whatever money they can to stay afloat. You have not only alienated your user base but the entire FLOSS movement in one blow. The only good thing that will come of this is one less distro to track on distrowatch in the near future.
Note from Matthew Davidson: Virtually all software infringes at least one patent. Patenting ideas used in software is like patenting letters of the alphabet. It's likely that most software vendors have products which infringe patents held by Microsoft. So why is Microsoft only targeting distributors of free software? Because it's not the patent infringements that Microsoft are concerned about; it's the freedom. Publicly declaring allegiance to an unaccountable private institution that claims the right to determine which technological advances may be permitted and which are heretical is one of the most craven and despicable acts anybody in this industry can commit.
Note from John Barron: All these type of deals are an attempt to extort money and continue to charge licensing fees on every computer, even when running code Microsoft did not develop. Competition, and the growth of competing software systems, is healthy and to be encouraged, not to be stunted by the existing dominant player in order to try and preserve their monopoly as long as they can in the face of that emerging competition.
Note from Stephen Ridgway: Can't you report blackmail in Canada?
Note from Scott Fraser: Xandros... thumbs down on this move, give us all a break. -Scott Fraser
Note from Raf Pauwels: Goodbye Xandros.
Note from Bevan Hay: Helping validate the M$ fud serves no good purpose at all ! I'll bet you don't even know which patents Linux is supposed to violate !
Note from Rubin B. Middleton: About 2 months ago, I was excited about ordering Xandros Home Premium from Newegg.com, along with a motherboard and memory. Circumstances prevented me from making the purchase, and now I am sooooo glad i didn't. Thank God!!! Xandros was the first Linux distro that I successfully used on a rebuilt system. I considered it the #1 Linux distro for the desktop, and was impressed by what I read about it's server software, also. I have had success installing Ubuntu and Kubuntu for some friends. I guess Kubuntu will be my #1 Desktop distro now. Too bad the folks at Novell and Xandros have not learned that with sheckles, come shackles.
Note from Ed Stewart: The opensource licenses should be protected form being sold or included in any deals.
Note from Esko Woudenberg: I refuse to endorse or recommend open source vendors that enter into secret agreements with Microsoft.
Note from Dan Espen: Good luck. Thanks for your past efforts.
Note from Douglas W. Goodall: Companies that align themselves with Microsoft hurt the computing industry in general and the open source movement in specific. As a convicted monopolist, Microsoft continues to throw their weight around and only a concerted effort and awareness by people in the industry will help reduce the damage. I will no longer consider using Xandros products as they have aligned themselves with the evil empire (Microsoft).
Note from Guy Boisvert: Well Xandros, hope you'll enjoy "the ride" with the devil... Just to say that you're on my black list now. I dunno, maybe you don't care but turning your back to the community may not be the best move you ever made. Well, it's just too bad...
Note from paul nass: I absolutely refuse to use any distros that align themselves with Microsoft.
Note from Lars Noodén: There's no business case to be supporting a software patent agenda. Further, there's even less of a technical case. This only harms. The harm is delivered not just to industry but anyone that uses software. Until Xandros breaks off the deal, I won't even mention it to people, except when I must steer them from Xandros to an more useful, more constructive distro.
Note from andros: xandros does not go with people, people do not go with xandros. rest in peace
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