Novell Worried About GPL3 And Microsoft

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The 144-page document posted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Web site contained redacted versions of Novell's business, patent and technology agreements with Microsoft, which it signed in November 2006. While much of what was officially released is known, Novell did express concerns that the final draft of GPL 3, which slipped its March 2007 deadline, could see Microsoft halting the distribution of Suse Linux, having a financial impact on Novell. "If the final version of GPLv3 contains terms or conditions that interfere with our agreement with Microsoft or our ability to distribute GPLv3 code, Microsoft may cease to distribute Suse Linux coupons in order to avoid the extension of its patent covenants to a broader range of GPLv3 software recipients," Novell stated in the document.