[ Thanks to Manfred Roth for this link.
]
“Novell today announced it has entered into an agreement to
acquire SUSE LINUX, one of the world’s leading enterprise Linux
companies, expanding Novell’s ability to provide enterprise-class
services and support on the Linux platform. With the open source
expertise of SUSE LINUX and Novell’s world-class networking and
identity solutions and support, training and consulting services,
Novell will be able to deliver Linux and all its components–from
the server to the desktop – and give organizations a secure,
reliable and mature Linux foundation. Novell will pay $210 million
in cash to complete the acquisition. The transaction is subject to
regulatory approval and the winding up of shareholder agreements.
Novell expects the transaction to close by the end of its first
fiscal quarter (January 2004).“This latest move follows Novell’s August purchase of Ximian, a
leader in Linux server and desktop solutions, and further
demonstrates Novell’s ongoing commitment to provide customers a
full range of Linux solutions. Both the Ximian and SUSE LINUX
acquisitions affirm Novell’s commitment to promoting the open
source model and developer community.“Novell today also announced that IBM intends to make a $50
million investment in Novell convertible preferred stock. In
addition, Novell and IBM are negotiating extensions to the current
commercial agreements between IBM and SUSE LINUX for the continued
support of SUSE LINUX on IBM’s eServer products and middleware
products to provide for product and marketing support arrangements
related to SUSE LINUX. Both of these agreements will be effective
when the acquisition of SUSE LINUX by Novell is completed…”