Sources close to German company SAP's plans told The Register today it is actively exploring Linux as the basis for its app software in the future. That will chime some bells with Intel, which has, in the past few months, recruited many SAP programmers and committed itself to Linux. But the news is likely to cause despondency at Microsoft's HQ. SAP was -- and perhaps is -- the jewel, possibly even the Kohinoor in the Microsoft crown. Today, no-one from either SAP or Microsoft was available to answer our many questions. ®