The sage of Ziff Davis: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols wouldn't be surprised by a Ubuntu-Microsoft deal

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols of Linux-Watch and Desktop Linux predicted that Linspire would run into Microsoft's arms by interpreting Linspire CEO Kevin Carmony's remarks after Microsoft announced its Xandros deal, and now SJVN thinks that Mark Shuttleworth -- a guy who doesn't bad-mouth Redmond at all -- may be the next to do a Microsoft patent-protection deal:

Ubuntu has also recently partnered with Dell to deliver Linux on PCs and laptops from the first top-tier computer vendor to commit to Linux. I'm sure those desktop users would also like the goodies that Microsoft and Linspire will be delivering in Linspire 6 -- namely: access to Microsoft proprietary multimedia codecs; VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) over Microsoft IM (instant messaging) compatible clients; and Microsoft fonts.

Oh, and by the way, you do recall that Linspire 6 will be based on Ubuntu, don't you? And, that Ubuntu will be compatible with Linspire's revised CNR (click and run) software distribution system?

Sounds to me like it would as easy as falling off a log for Canonical to add some Microsoft features of its own to Ubuntu Linux distribution.

I didn't get a chance to ask Shuttleworth if he has something in the works for Ubuntu with Microsoft at the Summit, darn it. But, if you see some news about Ubuntu partnering up with Microsoft sometime soon, well, just remember that you read it here first.

I'd be stunned if this happened, but I can see it. Given Microsoft's deal with Novell, I wonder if Dell will switch it up and start offering Novell's openSUSE or SLED on the desktop either in addition to or instead of Ubuntu. If Mark Shuttleworth thinks that an MS patent deal is the horse to ride, he might just get on it.

But ... with Shuttleworth starting such intiatives as a totally-FOSS version of Ubuntu with no closed-source drivers or anything else, would he really go the other way and do a Microsoft deal?