最近的合作行為，被一致認為是對開源社區的出賣，對此，Xandros CEO Andreas不得不就此事發布自己的看法。他說，我們在不斷努力，為了是的Linux服務器和Windwos操作系統之間能夠兼容的更好，這次合作使得我們的工作更進了一步，而且不僅僅是在桌面系統上。在周一公布的合作計劃中，Xandros和微軟將就市場和技術方面達成一系列的合作推廣協議，另外，Xandros公司將開發連接Linux操作系統和微軟操作系統中系統管理中心的應用程序，這樣就使得那些混合部署環境中的IT部門輕松了很多。
Xandros CEO Andreas Typaldos said his company's technical and marketing agreement with Microsoft will help increase Linux adoption rates because users will have access to improved technology and won't have to fear lawsuits from Redmond.
"What's good for adoption rates is good for Linux," Typaldos said in an interview.
Responding to criticism that tie-ups between Linux distributors and Microsoft amount to a sellout of the open source community, Typaldos said Linux users can actually benefit from such arrangements.
"We're working toward interoperability" between Microsoft systems and Xandros' Linux-based server products, said Typaldos. "This agreement goes well beyond the desktop."
Under a deal announced Monday, Xandros and Microsoft agreed to a broad set of joint technology and marketing initiatives. Among other things, the companies plan to develop software that will link Xandros' System Management tools with Microsoft's System Center -- with an eye to giving IT departments an easier way to manage heterogeneous environments.
Xandros also plans to license a set of Microsoft server communication protocols in order to make its Linux offerings more Windows friendly.
Under the most controversial aspect of the deal, Microsoft will extend "patent covenants" to Xandros' Linux customers, waving its right to sue them for using what the company claims is Microsoft technology embedded in Linux. "For users, it's a way of saying that if sparks fly between Linux and Microsoft, they have insurance," said Typaldos.
Microsoft struck a similar agreement with Linux distributor Novell in November.
The Linux community disputes the claim that the operating system, or other open source software, violates Microsoft patents. In response to the Novell pact, the group that governs open source licensing is in the process of adding provisions to a widely used license that would prohibit Linux distributors from striking patent-protection deals with commercial developers.
Under the third version of the General Public License, expected to be published in final form this month by the Free Software Foundation, all such deals that were not inked by March 28 are forbidden. As a result, it would appear that Xandros will not be allowed to distribute open source code licensed under GPLv3 because of its relationship with Microsoft. Typaldos said he's not concerned. "If you are a businessperson, you can't worry about every eventuality."
