"Why do you think IBM and HP are investing in Linux? It's a complement for hardware," Stone said. "They're not substituting anything, they are complementing it. That's why their profit margins are going up."
However, "Linux is a substitute for Windows," Stone said. "Why do you [think] Microsoft is creating so much FUD [fear, uncertainty and doubt] around it?" he said.
The Novell executive also opined that the real promise of making money by supporting open-source software is something all software vendors should be focused on. He also encouraged venture capitalists to invest in open source because there is plenty of money to be made on open-source software. "If [venture capitalists] are not investing in open source, [they] should be," he said. "Open source is not free."
Stone also reiterated Novell's stance on The SCO Group's lawsuits about Unix licensing infringement in the Linux kernel, taking aim squarely at SCO CEO Darl McBride. Stone said the SCO disputes over licensing are eclipsing the true goals of the open-source movement rampant in the tech industry right now, to drive innovation for customers, as well as set up a lucrative business model around open-source software.
"The problem is we're focused on all this [licensing] crap," Stone said. "That isn't the issue, Darl [McBride]. Licensing isn't the issue."
Perhaps pandering to his audience of faithful open-source developers and vendors, Stone further blasted McBride for the lawsuits, which some in the industry suspect are being bankrolled by Microsoft in an attempt to thwart the spread of Linux.
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