“It was a shocker of a reconciliation — Microsoft Corp. teaming
with Novell Inc. on a Linux deal. But Steve Ballmer couldn’t let
things stand. Within days after the two companies announced the
historical agreement, Microsoft’s CEO started talking about what it
meant for intellectual property, and the resulting furor left the
newly strategic partners issuing dueling statements on each of its
Web sites.“Within a month of the agreement, announced in early November,
partners were left scratching their heads…”