In a conversation at Interop, Novell VP of product management Alan Murray noted that a recent InformationWeek cover story showing the Linux penguin sweating profusely due to having a gun pointed at its head representing the imminent threat of litigation from Microsoft was missing something.

The IW cover image (below), Murray said, failed to take into account the Linux industry's readiness to fight back and vigorously defend its position and IP. If the cover image had been large enough to show what was behind the penguin, Murray said, "it would have shown a fully loaded howitzer."

The recent InformationWeek cover image. (Click to read the story, "Three Scenarios For How Microsoft's Open Source Threat Could End)

As an open-source company and major Linux player that managed, against significant odds, to broker a cooperative deal with Microsoft involving Linux, Novell is in a very interesting position with regard to the looming legal fight. And his comment underscores that the penguin will not be a pushover.