It doesn't really matter if Novell uses the MS .net "initiative" for own software products in a mixed environment. However, if software updates and distribution for any kind of linux product will _depend_ on mono or any other linux implementation of .net, people like me (former MD of Gartner Group) will help kill Novell Linux in marketplace. And very efficiently, believe me.
But there is no need to get emotional here since Novell people are smart enough to exclude this risk, I am sure. ;-)
FMF
It doesn't really matter if people like FMF (former MD of Gartner Group) will help kill some Linux-distro's in marketplace. However, if he touches SUSE Linux or things that depends on it, people like me (Azerion, noob beta-tester that should not be doing that) will help kill FMF in real life. And very efficiently, believe me. Azerion :P