Never underestimate Microsoft, especially when it comes to anything involving Linux. Take its recent $135 million bailout of struggling Canadian software maker Corel. An SEC filing says Corel could port .Net to Linux. And — surprise — Microsoft was threatening to sue Corel, not vice versa. Mary Jo Foley, of ZDNet News, writes . . .

“While many industry watchers speculated that Microsoft might try to strong-arm Corel into dropping Linux, it now looks like Microsoft has agreed to leave Corel an opening to port Microsoft's .Net framework and services to Linux. At least that's what Corel's Oct. 11 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission seems to say.”

” . . . Microsoft has three years to notify Corel of its interest, according to terms outlined in the technology agreement. If Microsoft is interested in Corel porting the .Net framework and services to Linux, Corel has committed to assigning at least 20 full-time developers and at least 10 full-time testers to the Port Project.”

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