But Microsoft and Novell already have in the Linux arena. Back in 2006 the two companies signed a five-year in the name of cross-platform software compatibility. "This set of agreements will really help bridge the divide between open-source and proprietary source software," Steve Ballmer back then.

That deal will be expiring next year, however; what better solution for Microsoft than to buy up a bunch of Novell's assets instead? More ominously, what better tool to begin making Linux vendors an offer they can't refuse?

This seems an especially likely scenario in light of Linux's new prominence and in large companies' purchasing plans.

'Embrace, Extend, Extinguish'

Microsoft is infamous for its tendency to open source software with one hand while bashing it with the other--witness its latest targeting OpenOffice.org, for example.