Re: Wait... I'm confused...

Tim, you forget that in this deal to secure MS "IP" in Linux, MS paid more money to Novell than Novell have to pay MS. And MS's return was only a cut of the sales of SuSE Linux via coupons redeemable.

And when lawyers pointed out that if MS give away these vouchers and they are not redeemed until SuSE goes for GPL3, then MS's "IP" (if any) has been released under GPL3, MS decided not to sell them.

That scheme merely seemed to be a payment to Novell with a promise to Novell that they will scare people off Linux but those that stayed with Linux would become Novell customers. MS wanted to be able to point PHB's to this agreement and say "See! Novell agreed that we have rights in Linux and paid us for it!". Novell got cash and sold the idea that RH (who were spanking Novell in Linux) would die.