Novell-Microsoft deal targeted by software group - Yahoo! News

Somehow I suspect this won't be a big help to free/open source software, in the bigger picture. 

The Free Software Foundation will seek to undermine the Microsoft-Novell patent deal by incorporating language that will accomplish that goal into the new license agreement that will cover rights to much of the code in Linux, Brown said.

Brown declined to discuss details of the changes in advance of publication of a draft of the agreement on Wednesday, though he said the foundation was committed to preventing Microsoft from claiming rights to Linux.

"They found a way to effectively proprietize free software by offering patent promises to Novell," Brown said. "Whenever a new method comes along to effectively turn free software into proprietary software, we will adjust the license."

Source: Novell-Microsoft deal targeted by software group - Yahoo! News