The efforts of Microsoft to pressure the Linux community over alleged and unspecified patents is akin to "patent terrorism", according to an executive for Sun.
Sun, which had some patent troubles of its own with Microsoft until they were resolved in mid-2004, says that Microsoft's recent tactics are "going against the spirit of innovation around software".
In recent times, Microsoft has struck legal agreements with Linux distributors Novell, Xandros and Linspire, pledging not to sue users of these distributions over alleged patent violations — none of which have yet been tested in a court of law.