Microsoft signs Linux compatibility deal
Software Freedom Law Center head Eben Moglen began the move last week when he sent a delegation to Redmond during negotiations which resulted in the recent cross-license deal between Microsoft and TomTom.
His Columbia-trained lawyers were accompanied by a new hire, attorney Vito Soprano, formerly of the firm Dewey, Cheatham & Howe in Hoboken, New Jersey, who said he made Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer an offer he could not refuse.
The picture of Mr. Ballmer above was taken by ZDNet photographer Abraham Zapruder III right after their meeting.
"Mr. Ballmer said 'Bill Gates will roll over in his grave if he heard about this' but I reminded him that Mr. Gates is not dead. Yet," Mr. Soprano said.
Ballmer said in a press statement this morning agreement also followed a call from President Obama on Air Force One, who first asked "Can't we all get along," and later suggested Ballmer might be fired if he did not go along.
"Remember Waggoner," Ballmer quoted the President as saying. "I got the message."
Linux Foundation executive director Jim Zemlin said his group is sending a trio of its best programmers by train from Portland to Redmond in order to examine Microsoft's source code and assure its compatibility with Linux going forward.
"We are delighted that Microsoft has finally seen the light and we hope everyone in the market for software considers Microsoft's fine products carefully in making their future decisions," said Zemlin.
File and exchange compatibility will be built first into the newest version of Windows Mobile, now undergoing final testing at a lab in China.
Version 4.1 of Windows Mobile carries a code name which combines the Chinese characters for joy and sorrow in an ideogram meaning, in English, fool.
PS - it's April Fool's Day. There may be no truth whatsoever in this story.