Novell, Xandros and Linspire have signed well publicized agreements with Microsoft.
Rumors on the Web have hinted that we might be next on the list. So we would like to clarify our position.
At Mandriva, we believe working in heterogeneous environments is essential to our customers. So, interoperability between the Windows and Linux world is important and must be dealt with, and anything that helps this interoperability is a good thing.
We also believe the best way to deal with interoperability is open standards, such as ODF which we support strongly and we are ready to cooperate with everyone on these topics.
As far as IP is concerned, we are, to say the least, not great fans of software patents and of the current patent system, which we consider as counter productive for the industry as a whole.
We also believe what we see, and up to now, there has been absolutely no hard evidence from any of the FUD propagators that Linux and open source applications are in breach of any patents. So we think that, as in any democracy, people are innocent unless proven guilty and we can continue working in good faith.
So we don’t believe it is necessary for us to get protection from Microsoft to do our job or to pay protection money to anyone.
We plan to keep developing and distributing innovative and exciting products and making them available to the largest number in the true spirit of open source.
François Bancilhon
Et bien, c’est tout simplement pour cela qu’on est là !
Tchao !
Julio
Linux 4ever !!!!!!
[...] Annonce de François Bancilhon, Mark Shuttleworth et Red Hat. [...]
Muito Bom Mandriva!
DDD
Diga não a MICROSOFT!
NÃO A SOFTWARES PRIVADOS!
Bravo!! il faut tenir bon!!
Les “anciens” d’unix s’y remettent et la jeune génération fonde beaucoup d’espoirs.
Le mouvement du “libre” est amorcé et il ne faut pas le freiner ou l’arrêter…
[...] Então, quero esclarecer a posição de nossa empresa sobre isso�, escreveu o CEO mundial da empresa, François Bancilhon, no blog corporativo da Mandriva. [...]
Good for Mandriva…and good for you.
You have made a wise decision and I am sure you will enjoy the support of the community in this.
[...] A negativa da Mandriva foi comunicada pelo CEO da companhia, François Bancilhon, em seu blog. Sua declaração veio em resposta a rumores circulando na internet, sobre a possibilidade de aderir aos acordos com a Microsoft. [...]
Thank you and just go on like this…
AdminG from Hungary
Thank You and highly appreciate your decision.
I have been using mandriva for some time now, and it feels really nice(and content) that mandriva is taking this stance and making it loud and clear
You have taken the right decision and the righteousness of the decision will take care of the rest…
Long Live Freedom!
[...] Mais c’est autour des principaux acteurs du monde du libre notamment Mark Shuttleworth (Ubuntu – voir l’annonce sur son propre blog) puis François Bancilhon (Mandriva- voir l’annonce sur son blog) d’exprimer leur point de vue rappelant qu’il ne s’engageront pas aux côtés de Microsoft. [...]
http://www.linuxtoday.com/it_management/2007062202826OPMDLL
And Mandriva? Why was its stance so important to the cause? Because right now, Mandriva is hurting too. Of all of the distribution companies that could have potentially gained something from dealing with Redmond, Mandriva certainly fit the bill. They’ve been through bankruptcy. They’ve not landed any big deployment deals lately (at least, as far as we know). And despite putting out a great product, they have had to watch as other Linux companies pass them by.
With the exception of the bankruptcy proceedings, that’s very similar to situations faced by Xandros and Linspire. In fact, one could argue that the whole bankruptcy situation made the situation worse for Mandriva.
But given this hardship, did Mandriva fold?
No, they did not. They stood up for what was right. They stood up for what was true. It may not have been the easy thing to do, but they did it anyway.
And no matter what company or distribution you prefer to use, I think we should all give Mandriva a big round of applause for doing the right thing when it would have been so easy to take the deal and bolster their company’s bottom line.
So yes, Microsoft landed Novell, Xandros, and Linspire. But they didn’t get the biggest Linux company. Or the one that’s the most popular right now. Or even the one that perhaps could have used the help more than any other distro.
That, my friends, is something to cheer about.
Excuse moi pour ecrire en francaise
Julien est un petit chauvin
Great. Let Big Brother know he is not the only innovative and smart person/company out there. Software is like language, very fluid and adaptable. Open source in open language in true innovation.
[...] “Interoperability between the Windows and Linux world is important and must be dealt with, and anything that helps this interoperability is a good thing,” wrote Mandriva’s Bancihon. “We also believe what we see, and up to now, there has been absolutely no hard evidence from any of the FUD propagators that Linux and open source applications are in breach of any patents.” [...]
Say NO to the Bigger !
Thanks, although I do not agree with interoperability between something working and something that does not. On the other hand, the day there will be any sort of agreement in between mdv and microshit will be the day where I’ll be throwing away mdv into the bin. And I hope all the guys in cooker would do the same.
Chris.
@HenryV : You don’t have understood what I mean with my post … I’m not “chauvin”. I can read English without problems but it’s not the case of most Mandriva users.
Mandriva (and the CEO of Mandriva) are “chauvin” (see the complain of Mandriva about the switch to Ubuntu of the “Assemblée Nationale”) but for main news they don’t write in French (and English) but only in English. A French corp must write in French too. It isn’t a question of “chauvinism” !
Parabéns Mandriva pela posição tomada, por isso o Linux é o que é hoje uma grande comunidade que só tem a crescer ainda mais.
[...] Mandriva, the company formerly known as Mandrakesoft, that publishes the Mandriva GNU/Linux operating system says on a posting on the company blog by CEO François Bancilhon that there will be no cross-licensing pact with Microsoft. Mandriva has offices in the U.S., France, and Brazil and sells in more than 140 countries through dedicated channels and through the the company online store. [...]
Hi, I believe that it’s OK that there are more than one OS system suppliers. It’s OK that Microsoft tries to overtake the whole branche, but I believe it’s also OK that some companies refuse it. I’m not so keen on the thougth that we have only one supplier for system sofware for home users. With having enough users who won’t use Microsoft, Linux or another version of an OS system will keep existing. So if you are against the fact that Microsoft is trying to overtake different OS systems, support the systems who don’t want to cooperate with Microsoft. The majority rules. Create what you want to create. For more information about getting to your goal, check http://www.avatarepc.com. With kind regard. Harro
So you choose for your own stupidity and not for what’s best for the endusers. Then also stop complaining that MS assists 78% of the Internet community clients.
Hurray, hurray!
Nobody likes a monopoly and even more important it’s a bad thing. Whatever you may think of any OS or company a monopoly is bad and I’m glad this next attempt to really monopolise the industry by microsoft has been stopped, at least by enough players. So zapper stop complaining that MS doesn’t assist 100% of the internet community clients.
Joepie!
last time I checked, the rest of the world does not speak english either ^)
Francois Bancilhon, thank you for outspeaking such foul FUDs from Redmond with nothing less than firm and echoing frankness. Congratulations!!! Parabéns!!! Félicitations!!!
[...] 　Mandrivaã?®æœ€é«˜çµŒå–¶è²¬ä»»è€…（CEO）ã?§ã?‚ã‚‹Francois Bancilhonæ°?ã?¯å…ˆé€±ã€?ã?†ã‚?ã?•ã?«å??ã?—ã€?Microsoftã?®æ¬¡ã?®æ??æ?ºç›¸æ‰‹ã?¯Mandrivaã?§ã?¯ã?ªã?„ã€?ã?¨ ブãƒã‚° ã?«æ›¸ã??込んã?§ã?„る。 [...]
Pour répondre à Chiuchu :
Pour information, Mandriva au Brésil vends quelque chose comme 2000 distrib’ par jour, pré-installée sur des oridinateurs par accord OEM.
Mandriva est également vendu pré-installé en Pologne et Roumanie il me semble.
Au Brésil il me semble qu’ elle est vu comme une distribution “haut de gamme” contrairement à la distribution pre-installée (origine russe) par les divers services publics gouvernementaux.
Donc ne t’ inquiètes pas, Mandriva Mondiale n’ est pas un “mot de demain”.
En fait paradoxalement c’ est sur sa terre de naissance que Mandriva semble souffrir d’ une image écornée, et qui traine cela comme un boulet. (ce qui lui nuit certainement à l’ internationnal)
un petit clin d’ oeil pour le message en Anglais :
c’ est logique que les messages “corpo” soit en anglais, et s’ ils devaient être publiés en 2 langues en même temps, il est fort probable que cela soit en espagnol / portugais plutôt qu’ en français.
Pour ces accords entre Microsoft et Novell / Linspire / Xandros : ils ne concernent que les USA pour la partie législative. De plus toujours pour cette partie repose plus sur un FUD que sur des preuves claires (…) Enfin, en plus du fait que cela ne concerne pas ni l’ Europe, ni l’ Amerique du sud, ni L’ Inde, ni la Chine… Les Democrates ont annoncés qu’ ils allaient réformer ce système de “”brevets”" (qui ne porte de brevets que le nom, voir l’ origine réelle de ceux-ci). Novell et l’ EFF annonce un partenariat pour informer et faire du lobbying à ce sujet. Et même de grands noms chez les Républicains trouvent cette législatiion “contre-productive”… (papiers relayés entre autre par Libé et les Echos il me semble)
Donc le système actuel de brevets aux usa risque de sauter pas longtemps après les prochaines échéances éléctorales américaines.
Les accords ne porteraient alors plus que sur, il me semble, les accords “d’ interopérabilité” c’ est à dire sur l’ acceptation d’ abandon de formats vraiments libres vers des formats made in microsoft.
un peu de suputation :
il est fort probable que cela ne soit que ça pour le moment, à savoir une position de status-quo et de tentative de conserver la main sur certaines choses (formats par exemple)… Mais que tout cela ne soit que le premier pas de Microsoft. Et que ce dernier puisse nous surprendre (en bien j’ espère) dans un futur pas si lointain. L’ amorce de virage actuel vers du “service online” (du moins une corde de plus à son arc pour le moment) c ‘est avant tout du “service”
Microsoft essaie de défendre son bifteak Vista mais ça devient de plus en plus dur… Espérons que Microsoft saura prendre un virage (en douceur) pour le bien de tous, lui y compris.
(quoi je rêve ? meuhhh laissez moi réver.. et puis dans suputation il y a …)
mes 2 cents
[...] Last Tuesday, Paris-based Mandriva became the third Linux vendor within five days to say it isn’t interested in signing a licencing deal with Microsoft to avoid possible infringement claims. A Mandriva blog posting to that effect by Mandriva CEO Francois Bancilhon followed similar declarations by officials at Red Hat and Canonical, which oversees Ubuntu Linux. [...]
Mandrivia team you all are heroes… thanks to keep us away of the starving wolf out there…
[...] VÃa: Mandriva Blog var uri = ‘http://impes.tradedoubler.com/imp?type(js)g(16187712)a(1332684)’ + new String (Math.random()).substring (2, 11); document.write(”); ¿Microsoft Vista, el sistema menos seguro que existe? [...]
This is where we fight!
This is where they DIE!
HOOOA MANDRIVA!!!
Thank you!
I will continue to use and suggest Mandriva to my friends because Mandriva will remain free (obviously, free as in speech!).
I’m sure that GNU/Linux and our distro will always getting better, and even more and more people won’t need MS Windows any more!
Regards
gerlos
[...] What is most unusual about Linspire Inc.’s compliance with Microsoft regarding GNU/Linux’ apparent IP infringement is the announcement made by Linspire’s CEO, Kevin Carmony, stating that Linspire does not believe that GNU/Linux infringes upon any of Microsoft’s claimed patents. If Linspire’s CEO was of the opinion that GNU/Linux did not infringe upon Microsoft’s IP, what reason did the Corporation have in order comply with Microsoft’s request of admittance and furthermore transfer funds to Microsoft in order to indemnify its Users? The recently announced GNU GPLV3 (GNU General Public License) which accompanies Open Source software protects Linux Users against possibilities of legal recourse therefore Kevin Carmony could have refused to comply with Microsoft’s demand; as Red Hat Inc., Mandriva Corp. and Canonical Ltd. have announced. [...]
[...] Pour faire taire des rumeurs, Francois Bancilhon, directeur général de Mandriva, assure que son entreprise n’est pas la prochaine sur la liste, où figurent les éditeurs Novell, Xandros et Linspire. «L’interopérabilité entre Windows et le monde Linux est importante, et doit être assurée. Tout ce qui le permet est une bonne chose, mais les standards ouverts sont la meilleure solution», indique-t-il sur son blog. [...]
I think one commenter had it dead on about consolidating the linux market. It is long overdue, and it’s time to trim the fat.
Thanks Mandriva for their position!
I’ve been a Redhat/Fedora user from the very first time I ever used Linux, but this doesn’t matter as we’re all on the same ship, aren’t we? Therefore hearing about a Linux distro which decided to continue the Linxu (FOSS) way is really gladenning.
Wish you good luck!
Bahman
I choosed MANDRIVA also for THIS !!!
Thanks
This is good news. I’ve been a Mandriva user for over 5 years. I used to buy every other release in the past but now I am buying every release since 2006. You guys at Mandriva can count on my $70 or $80 for Powerpack with every release to support the good work and your distro is worth every penny.
Thanks for standing up. We are all proud of you guys.
Regards
Neranjana
Nuestro deber como padres es no dejar como esclavos a nuestros hijos en manos de una corporación que siempre les pedira pagos durante decenios y tal vez siglos.
Y peor aun que se apropien de las ideas, para formar nuevos conceptos. El equivalente es como si todos y cada uno de nosotros le tuvieramos que pagar y le pidieramos permiso al inventor de deteminado alfabeto, por escribir una carta y comunicarla. ES ABSURDO.
Hagamos que nuestros hijos usen el software libre, y mucho mas ahora que ya lograron (los aguerridos de GPL) un standart universal en los programas de uso en oficinas y demas.
Impidamos que algun dia tengamos que pagarle a una corporación por nuestros propios pensamientos.
I do adore them… Thank you, Mandriva!
[...] o quantomeno pagare una licenza. L’amato cappello rosso ha risposto (come già hanno fatto Mandriva ed Ubuntu, Mandriva non andrà a Canossa, eh eh) che l’interoperabilità è una cosa per loro [...]
[...] – Linuxbedrijf Mandriva sluit geen overeenkomst met Microsoft. Dat schrijft het op het bedrijfweblog. Eerder weigerde de bekende Linuxmaker Ubuntu ook al zo’n [...]
Je trouve que cette décision vous honore (mandriva). Comme j’ai cru le comprendre vous pensez qu’une compatibilité des systèmes est une bonne chose. J’acquiesce positivement et dirait même qu’une extension compatible pour tous les systèmes dans chaque type de logiciels serait un plus…
Cependant il ‘ai pas acceptable de subir un racket qui seerai la mort de la distro pour avoir renié ces origine.
Vous n’avez pas vendu votre âme au diable et je troue cela rassurant. Je vais donc si vous êtes d’accord continuer a travailler avec vous puisque votre philosophie est compatible avec la mienne et plus largement celle de mes collègues de l’éducation nationale).
Bonne continuation, le meilleur est a venir pour peut que l’on aille à lui. (Jeff, it’s me)
[...] Kevin Carmony could have refused to comply with Microsoft’s demand; as Red Hat Inc., Mandriva Corp. and Canonical Ltd. have [...]
Respect
[...] The interoperability and patent deals between Microsoft and various Linux distributors and other companies became a hot topic in the Linux world recently. After several articles were printed speculating that Mandriva might be the next to sign such a deal, we decided to make a definitive statement to remove any doubt about the issue: we will not sign any patent agreement with Microsoft. We believe properly defined, open industry standards are the best route to interoperability, and that Microsoft has yet to demonstrate any plausible claims of patent infringement in Linux. The full statement by Mandriva CEO Francois Bancilhon is available here: http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/06/19/we-will-not-go-to-canossa/ [...]
The first Mike said: “Second: “FUD propagatorsâ€?? “protection moneyâ€?? For a CEO you don’t sound so professional.”
I will gladly stick with a CEO who is willing to stand with me, whether he “sounds” professional or not. And if “telling it like it is” is un-professional, then so be it.
And as for those who think Mandriva should listen to what MS has to say, you can ask dozens of developers what happened to them when they were invited to sit at a table with the “big boy”. Before they knew it, the developers ideas suddenly became MS “innovations” and the developers were out on the street.
Listen to MS? Let alone negotiate with it? No thanks.
François is absolutely correct about not paying protection money. To do so would be to venture down a very dark alley after promising that you will not protect yourself from any harm that might come to you in that alley.
Another Mike
Protection money… Sounds more like Gangsters to me. There is no way that I will negociate a deal like that and Francois Bancilhon have my support 100% on this one. That not sound professional? In what book? Anyway, i like a clear and blunt remarks than a flowery political Bull Crap any time of the day.
Vive La Mandriva!!
Yes I have been using various Linux Dist’s and Found PCLinuxOS and since it’s based on Mandriva I opted to Purchase the Power Pack DVD 64 for my main system where I have the Free one currently. FOSS Rules!! Mandriva Kudos on Sticking to your guns against Micro$oft and its Big Money and Thieving Ways. From the days of it’s inception they have always stolen to make what they wanted to make Windows.
DOS was Digital Research, they STOLE the Code and made M$ DO$ of which many attacked, IBM made PC DOS a very nice OS. My First Linux was Slackware to get working, tried Debian, Ubuntu / Kubuntu, FreeBSD, and then this year found PCLinuxOS and Mandriva and Fell in Love with the OS, can do this, do that and does 99% of everything I need to do. Not even M$ can say 99% cause they sell you a stripped down System with nothing in it for hundreds of dollars. Not wise to me, Support is what should be paid for, The Software is there to use, and if you can not read the manual, then you need that support, and well it will cost.
I do support FOSS and Mandriva!!! This OS ROCKS!!
excelente que no firmen acuerdo con microsoft, debido a que sean hecho riko estafando a la gente con sus productos y no se acuerdan que bill gate empezo a programar con algo gratis el muy cara dura.
Thank you, Mandriva! HURRA !