I don't want to start anything, but this is an interesting tidbit from the net:
www.groklaw.net/article.php

Basically, M$ is going after RedHat for unspecified patent violations in order
to force them into a licensing agreement as they did Novell and others. This has
been a cash cow for M$ because they can say their OS is interoperable with Linux
without actually doing anything enabling them to sell to mixed Linux and Windows
environments. M$ has been selling licenses for SLED and making money while
Novell has paid all of the development costs for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop.
Under the agreement they can sell each other's OS and support agreements and
either way M$ wins. M$ is laughing all the way to the bank and the joke is on
Novell who gets to flog M$'s OS for M$ and give its own away to M$ for free.

The issue is old now and to date M$ has not revealed a single specific
violation, instead it appears to be just another twist in their war on FOSS. It
makes us appear as being guilty without ever having to face specific charges.
The mere threat of going to court with M$ can usually get most companies to
knuckle under because of the protracted nature of these things and the high cost
of litigation. How do you spell backmail?

As Linux users we are all stake holders. First it was Novell, then others
followed. Canonical and RedHat have been outspoken opponents to such agreements,
but the game is still on according to this article. Will we all be absorbed into
the Borg?

For us as observers it will be important to see how RedHat responds.
Will they roll over like Novell and gain the wrath of the open source
community or will they stand tall? If they roll over, can others such as
Canonical stand a chance. Resistance is futile.