Xandros has become the latest Linux distro to hop into bed with Microsoft, announcing a five-year deal for joint development.

The oddball duo will collaborate on systems management, office suite, and server interoperability. Xandros will get protection from Redmond's legal high command, and support for its sales and marketing efforts, Novell-style.

Legal ponderers are still trying to fathom what effect the release of the third iteration of the GPL will have on the relationships with Linux firms which are being fostered by Microsoft.

Xandros CEO Andreas Typaldos said: "Cross-platform data centers are a reality. To meet evolving customer needs, vendors need to recognize the value of sharing intellectual property, developing more interoperable solutions, and providing management tools that are familiar and easy to use."

Microsoft recently renewed legal sabre rattling at the open source community, feeding news outlets with snippets of patent infringment accusations. It says Linux and Open Office trip up 235 Microsoft patents, but doesn't say what or why.

The Xandros tie-in release is here (http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070604/aqm106a.html?.v=1). ®

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