"We disagree with the recent statements made by Microsoft on the topic of Linux and patents," wrote Hovsepian at the time. "Importantly, our agreement with Microsoft is in no way an acknowledgement that Linux infringes upon any Microsoft intellectual property."
...
"It is unlikely that Microsoft will actually bring patent suits implicating open source. We further believe that recent Supreme Court decisions undermine the viability of dubious software patents. Nevertheless, we are troubled: These latest statements seem to signal a shift away from what we felt was a serious, if minority, effort within Microsoft to be truly open," he added.
...
"They're not interested in a fair fight. Like a bully, they refuse to face the Open Source world in a fair fight, instead hinting at willful infringement and making backhanded threats," he wrote on his personal blog. "If Microsoft believes that free and open source software violates any of their patents, let them put those patents forward now, in the light of day, where we can all evaluate them on their merits."
Come on Microsoft.... put up or shut up!
|