There is lots of chatter all over the web about this today, here is the link to Mary Jo-Foley’s blog;
The deal, announced on February 16, has two components, according to a posting to Microsoft’s Port 25 open-source blog. Red Hat has joined Microsoft’s Server Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP) and Microsoft has become a Red Hat partner for virtualization interoperability and support. According to Microsoft’s Open Source Community Manager Peter Galli, Microsoft also will be added to the Red Hat Hardware Certification list once the Red Hat certification process is completed later this year.
Matt Asay added; (my highlighting)
Both Red Hat and Microsoft on Monday lowered their guns long enough for customers to win. They did so without encumbering interoperability with patents, which will be critical to ensuring that Microsoft can lower its guard further to welcoming open-source solutions to the Windows fold as a full partner.
On my part this feels like a good move for us and for Red Hat, I know it will resonate well with customers here in Asia.
A full explanation of the agreement can be found in the press announcement that Red Hat put out today.
