Appliance. Monolith. The Japanese government looks to go open source - LinuxWorld. World Domination 201. We see six possible approaches to dealing with proprietary codecs.
In this section, we'll discuss the pros and cons of each and attempt to map a path to victory. What Are The Alternatives? Do without.Unload the problem on individual users.Reverse-engineer all codecs for which deployment is legally possible (e.g. not blocked by patents or the DMCA).Press for delivery in open formats.Get closed source binaries that are "free as in beer".Pay to license codecs, per-copy. » Microsoft and Novell: Fox marries chicken, both move into henh. The stunning news that Microsoft will partner with Novell to support SuSe Linux as an alternative deployment platform to Windows -- and that they announce it on the cusp of the arrival of Windows Vista!
-- is one of the most intriguing events in IT in some time. One has to surmise that the Oracle move on Unbreakable Linux must have played into the timing, if not the substance, of this Microsoft-Novell barn-burner. As I blogged just this week, Oracle has reshuffled the deck and forced the hand of all the players in the open source business. We look to IBM with tired eyes. I have not yet heard the Steve Ballmer announcement at 5 p.m.