This article shows how ridiculous Microsoft's licensing policies are in regard to running Windows on virtual machines. It also shows how difficult Microsoft's support people can be. You won't have these problems with free software

"Fortune magazine has an interesting article stressing the Chinese market's importance to Microsoft's long term strategy, and touching on Linux's involvement in the Chinese market."

Ubuntu is open source, right?

Or is it the other way around? Fortune's David Kirkpatrick goes on the road to Beijing with Bill Gates, who threw his business model out the window.

The nature of Novell's landmark deal with Microsoft -- thoroughly detailed in Novell's annual report and SEC filings -- demonstrates the riskiness of open-source players forging partnerships with proprietary software vendors, according to analyst Dana Gardner. "This development shows the brittle nature of intellectual property," he said.

No. We expected it this October or November. Now, however, a note published by the US Department of Justice says that "Microsoft anticipates that beta code will be available by the end of the year." That could push Service Pack 1 into next year.

"How predictable was Massachusetts’ about-turn on Office Open XML?"

The Linux community is splitting -- right down the middle, at this point -- over Microsoft's controversial claims that the open source operating system infringes on patents it holds. On June 19, Paris-based Mandriva became the third Linux vendor within five days to say it isn't interested in signing a licensing deal with Microsoft to avoid possible infringement claims.