The Free Software Foundation is reviewing Novell Inc.’s right to sell new versions of the Linux operating system software, a member of the foundation’s board said on Friday.

The Foundation controls the intellectual property to key parts of the open-source Linux operating system.

Novell angered members of the open-source community that develops Linux and other free software programs when it entered into a business partnership with Microsoft Corp.

Novell’s critics called on the foundation’s board to punish Novell by banning it from distributing new versions of Linux software, Eben Moglen, general counsel for the Free Software Foundation, told Reuters.

He said that the board has not made a decision on the matter but that he expects it to do so and disclose its ruling within two weeks.

Novell Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer John Dragoon declined comment, saying it would be premature to speculate on how the issue would be resolved.

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