[link|http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,4248,1210100,00.asp|Microsoft Watch]: Now that you are buying Ximian, will Novell offer a Linux desktop distribution?

Stone: Yes. The plan is to package the Ximian desktop with some of our products. Specifics are yet to be determined. But we want to cover Linux from the desktop to the server.

Microsoft Watch: How much of your decision to buy Ximian was influenced by your desire to take on Windows on the desktop?

Stone: We're not after Microsoft. We are after opportunity. There are a bunch of little companies out there in the Linux market. Hardware makers, customers, you (press) people all told us to get in the market.

Microsoft Watch: Are you worried about SCO taking you on further, now that you've made your intentions to be a Linux player more obvious (with the Ximian deal)? Red Hat just sued SCO today\ufffd

Stone: It's great they sued them. That takes the heat off us. Go Matt! (Szulik, Red Hat, chairman and CEO) SCO doesn't have any friends left. And remember, we never said the copyright thing between us and SCO was over. We'll see.

Microsoft Watch: What are your plans, vis-\ufffd-vis Ximian's Evolution messaging software and your own Groupwise messaging platform?

Stone: We will have an Evolution-Groupwise connector. We'll talk about that more at LinuxWorld tomorrow. We also are going to put Groupwise on Linux. We'll show that at the show, too. The beta should be out in September.

Microsoft Watch: What about ZenWorks and Ximian? How will you make use of any of Ximian's tools and technologies on that front?

Stone: ZenWorks is a great software-distribution package. We can now cover Windows, Linux and NetWare with it. And Ximian has a great patch-management system. We plan to take advantage of that.

Microsoft Watch: What's the future of Mono, Ximian's implementation of .Net on Linux?

Stone: We are going to continue to push it. .Net on Linux is a great idea. We just hope Microsoft isn't against the idea.