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Open Source Community to Microsoft: Bring It On | |
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||
| Time: 09:37 EST/14:37 GMT | News Source: LinuxInsider | Posted By: Michael Dragone | ||
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Microsoft's business strategy is the equivalent of "don't buy his products or something bad will happen -- but we won't tell you what." In other words, it shows less sophistication than the average playground ruse. Nevertheless, it was enough for Novell -- responsible for the popular Suse distribution of Linux -- to enter last year into a mutual covenant not to sue over patent infringements. | ||
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| #1 By 15406 (216.191.227.68) at 6/7/2007 10:36:59 AM |
| Microsoft can't sue under the MAD principle, and they'd lose all the FUD value if they actually had to back up their bogus claims. |
| #2 By 52115 (66.181.69.250) at 6/7/2007 12:36:30 PM |
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See, everyone keeps saying that Linux doesn't run any of MS code, etc. And that they'll fix whatever MS shows them.
BUT, all along MS has been saying that it's IP (intellectual property) which Linux is violating. What I read into this is that for example MS has FAT32 and NTFS patented as their IP. Linux can read and write FAT32 and read NTFS (even write NTFS with some tweaking). Since Linux can do this and there is no license from MS, it's a violation of their IP. Samba, same thing. SMB is their IP and since Linux can use SMB without a license, it's a violation of their IP. Never mind that everything is reverse-engineered to work. Kinda like the MP3 standard. Here, use this and then later, well now you need license or you're going to get sued. Nice thing though, EU doesn't conform to the US's patents on software. So how are US courts going to allow a lawsuit to go after a distro which is based in the EU? Just my two cents... |
| #3 By 32132 (142.32.208.234) at 6/7/2007 12:47:27 PM |
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Microsoft is "Bringing it on".
Novell, Xandros, LG. On the other hand Tivo is saying "Stop it you FSF fanatics. The GPLv3 is going to destroy our business." |
| #4 By 15406 (216.191.227.68) at 6/7/2007 1:14:05 PM |
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#2: "Never mind that everything is reverse-engineered to work."
Yeah, never mind the thing that actually makes what they did legal. You are allowed to reverse-engineer. Good thing too or nobody would be able to read MS proprietary Office file formats. Their FAT patent was thrown out, and the NTFS patent (if there even is one) would probably be thrown out due to prior art. |
| #5 By 32132 (142.32.208.234) at 6/7/2007 2:30:15 PM |
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"The US Patent Office has upheld Microsoft's claim of patent rights over its File Allocation Table.
The decision reverses two earlier judgements and potentially allows Microsoft to go after open-source developers who use the technology. FAT controls how computers store information to hard drives and other storage devices such as Flash cards." http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/11/microsoft_wins_patent_case/ |
| #6 By 32132 (142.32.208.234) at 6/7/2007 2:34:23 PM |
| #4 Have you shills from the FSF ever been right about anything? |
| #7 By 52115 (66.181.69.250) at 6/7/2007 3:34:51 PM |
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Long story-short, software patents are bad.
I'd hate to be a programmer. How do I know that a program that I write which is better, more secure, runs with less resources, is in violation of fraudulant patent issued to Microsoft. Worse yet, what if the program is a disk utiility or something for *nix system and has nothing to do with MS O/S's? But gosh darn-it, MS owns the patent and my program is in violation and I need to get a license from them otherwise I'll get sued. Sounds like a monopoly to me. And, so much for ingenuity and progress. It would keep me from creating something which could be great. Choice? what's that.. Say, doesn't MS own a patent on automatic software updates? |
| #8 By 32132 (142.32.208.234) at 6/7/2007 4:16:25 PM |
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#7 "How do I know that a program that I write which is better, more secure, runs with less resources ... "
The same holds true for industrial process patents. However, any IT executive working for a large company must realize that fanatics who detest software patents will eventually admit they hate all patents ... and if those fanatics work for your IT department, they have access to most of the company secrets. And they will eventually give them away to anyone who asks because they are fanatics. |
| #9 By 8556 (12.210.39.82) at 6/7/2007 6:11:57 PM |
| There may be a method to MS's madness. The threats of lawsuits are coming at the same time as cross patent agreements MS has made with Linux companies and LG Electronics. MS is well aware that any of their patents that may be infringed upon can be written around. However, what about the Linux IP that MS wants to use? Why not use FUD to get the Linux community to "trade" their development efforts for the right to not be sued by MS? MS saves millions in development costs. Linux users feel safe at night unaware that they've been had. |
| #10 By 15406 (216.191.227.68) at 6/8/2007 9:32:43 AM |
| Well, since MS apparently feels it can't compete fairly based on the merits of their products, the FUD route is the way to go. |
| #11 By 32132 (142.32.208.234) at 6/8/2007 9:58:15 AM |
| It isn't FUD. Even Linus said Linux infringed upon patents. |
| #12 By 8556 (12.207.97.148) at 6/8/2007 3:34:39 PM |
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NotParker: Without specifics and facts, it's FUD which if they were poker players we'd say they were superb at bluffing. They have not shown their hand. Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya?
Torvalds said "It's certainly a lot more likely that Microsoft violates patents than Linux does." This is as nebulous Fear of litigation without discovery. Let 'em have at it in court. Debates between camps have turned into arguments. Enough. It's time the mess was cleaned up by an impartial judge. |
| #13 By 3653 (68.52.143.149) at 6/8/2007 10:49:53 PM |
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notParker - you forgot Fuji/Xerox. They also signed one of these deals
winux - "EU doesn't conform to the US's patents on software. So how are US courts going to allow a lawsuit to go after a distro which is based in the EU?" But if no American multinational will use it, trying to avoid infringement... what will the EU distros have left? hint: a fraction of the market opportunity today. coffee - "MS apparently feels it can't compete fairly based on the merits of their products" Billions of dollars in sales per month, say you are DEAD WRONG. bobsireno - why on earth do you believe these companies haven't seen more from Microsoft than the general public. OF COURSE THEY HAVE. Its serves ZERO purpose for Microsoft to take to the streets with this information. They are persuing it as any reasonable company would. And why are the execs at these companies then saying they still don't know that linux infringes on Microsoft patents? Simple. There isn't a lawyer alive that would advise them to OPTIONALLY ADMIT they have been infringing up to this point. Get real. That is simply never going to happen. This post was edited by mooresa56 on Friday, June 08, 2007 at 23:37. |
| #14 By 32132 (142.32.208.234) at 6/10/2007 5:36:51 PM |
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#12 I was thinking of this one:
"Software patents are also the utmost threat to the development of Linux and other free software products, as we are forced to see every day while we work with the Linux development. We want to be able to provide the world with free high class, high quality, highly innovative software products that really empower the users and offer the best and only real chance to narrow the digital divide. Please do not make this harder to us that it already is!" http://www.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=03/09/22/1311217 Translation: "Yes, Linux violates patents every day. But the only way we can keep giving away Linux is if we are allowed to violate patents or software patents are abolished. Otherwise, we would have to pay IP holders a fee ... like every other responsible company. We aren't a company and we don't want to be responsible. We want to win by playing dirty." |
| #15 By 32132 (142.32.208.234) at 6/10/2007 5:46:37 PM |
| #12 Large companies can be bluffed that easily? I don't think so. Its more likely that these large companies can see the GPLv3 train wreck approaching and want to be somewhere safer. |
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