Open Sources | Rodrigues & Urlocker » Jeremy Allison resigns from Novell in protest

December 21, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Jeremy Allison resigns from Novell in protest

TAGS: Open Source

Groklaw is reporting that Jeremy Allison (Mr. Samba) has resigned from Novell in protest over the Microsoft-Novell patent deal.

"Whilst the Microsoft patent agreement is in place there is *nothing* we can do to fix community relations. And I really mean nothing," Allison wrote. "Until the patent provision is revoked, we are pariahs....Unfortunately the time I am willing to wait for this agreement to be changed ...has passed, and so I must say goodbye."

You can read the full text of his resignation on Groklaw.

Take this with a grain of salt, however. Jeremy can be a bit of a firebrand. That he's upset, I understand. Why, I also understand. But I think he might have done more good for the company by staying and serving as an internal watchdog than he will outside the company. Novell didn't do this deal out of any malicious intent toward the community or anyone else. It was not a wise move, in my opinion, but I don't know that Jeremy's move helps anything.

Posted by Matt Asay on December 21, 2006 08:39 AM

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