Open source: Some are lauding the agreement between Microsoft and Novell, under which the latter’s Suse Linux will be able to run on Windows PCs, as one of historic proportions, but folks in the Linux community are wary of the partnership. Sample: “Excuse me while I go throw up,” one comments. More grave, though, is the potential that customers might have to buy Microsoft-licensed Linux from Novell, lest the Redmond giant come and assert its patents against you, points out another. Best of the blogs: Matt Asay weighs in on the agreement as well. “Sounds rosy … kind of like when Microsoft made BIG NEWS about its truce with Sun. Anyone remember much coming out of that? Me, neither,” he writes in this post. “Clearly, this news will help Novell … for a few months. But every time partners have tried to prop up Novell (like IBM’s investment a few years back), the market has voted Red Hat. Steve Ballmer’s vote is not going to stem Red Hat’s rise.” From the analysts: Fresh from Oracapalooza, otherwise known as Oracle Open World, David Margulius learned a few things about DBAs, free motorcycles, live penguins, integrated stacks, and Microsoft’s need for a mascot. Oh, yes, and he’s looking for suggestions on that las one right here. Notes from the field: While the feds bust down the door of counterfeiters — the ilk that print bogus Northwest Airlines tickets rather than, umm, money — the Los Angeles area council of boy scouts is teaching its pups about identifying copyrighted material, for which they can earn something worth even less than a that a phony boarding pass. Cringester Chuck P., meanwhile, found a way to cut that nasty fire insurance bill or, rather, had the notion thrust upon him as the replacement computer Sony sent him has no Sony-made Li-ion batteries. FBI sends in troopers, Microsoft clips coupons. Technology Industry