During the conference Friday, neither CEO mentioned open source or Linux specifically as motivating factors. But their continual emphasis on intellectual property (IP) and patent rights--fighting words to those who back Linux and the open--source movement--signaled the formation of a proprietary software army.
"It's a 10-year cooperation to make interoperability unique and exceptional in a way that will advantage Microsoft and Sun customers in a special way," said McNealy, noting that corporate customers told the two vendors to stop making noise about interoperability and do something--or else. "Maybe we've grown up. Maybe they've grown up, or maybe the customer is in charge. This [deal will offer] a higher level of interoperability and compatibility while respecting each [other's] IP."
Ballmer acknowledged that it took the two vendors more than a year to rebuild trust after decades of battling in public and in the courtroom but that they were united in their common interest in protecting IP rights and patents in a new era of software development.
"It's all about helping customers who own our stuff and who will continue buying stuff. It's an agreement that comes from two companies that believe in IP, develop IP and respect IP, and we needed a framework for our collaboration that respected our mutual IP ... we do both value IP. How to interoperate without giving away the crown jewels, so to speak," Ballmer said.
Patrick Derosier, co-owner and CTO of CPUGuys, Hanson, Mass., said the deal is clearly a "shot across the bow to Linux."
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