On the back of defending the agreement this week, Novell did as promised and published details of its landmark November 2006 Linux partnership agreements with Microsoft.

What's the best way to attract a pile of threatening lawyers' letters from Microsoft? Sell pirate copies of Windows? Write a DRM-busting program?

Londoner Jamie Cansdale has just discovered a new approach. He had the temerity to make Redmond's software better.

Yes, Microsoft will (I'm sure of it) loose its hold on a desktop and in business. But that doesn't mean it will die. It will shift its act into other areas, and as any other meta-organism it will keep fighting for its life.

The Windows MarketPlace is known as the one-stop shop for all your Windows software and hardware needs. Well, for some people it is but I normally never visit the site myself. They do have a nice list of over 5,000 free applications though, and for a little bit Ubuntu was actually one of the offerings.

"update: Massachusetts has proposed changing its standards policy to make room for Microsoft Office document formats."

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.

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

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.