Microsoft licensing Linux: What is going on?

And people want to know why I hate MS.

I would guess that Richard Stallman is going to have a thing or 20 to say about this.
 
WTF? how do they get away with this? don't the linux orgs sue them to hell?
 
Tpex said:
WTF? how do they get away with this? don't the linux orgs sue them to hell?
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Unix kernal is openware, they can't do anything because that's how linux is.
Tear, edit, modify the kernal, except this has nothing to do with the linux kernal.
 
BLaZor2 said:
Unix kernal is openware, they can't do anything because that's how linux is.
Tear, edit, modify the kernal, except this has nothing to do with the linux kernal.
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so if its open, then how can somebody claim to own it?
 
yawn.
carry on microsoft.
your world is crumbling.
you're out of touch.
go play with the drm proponents and media labels who are also losing revenue and don't know what to do about it.
don't forget to turn off the lights when you're done.
we won't miss you.
 
Tpex said:
so if its open, then how can somebody claim to own it?
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I think they are claiming their own products in the future. Ie, Microsoft Word for Linux.
Even though OpenOffice is free and just as good (if not better) than MS Office.
 
So Microsoft is changing their business model to "patent troll", so they can just sit back and collect royalties forever on someone else's software, them swimming in money while we all have to pay a "Microsoft Tax" just to use Linux. The software patent system is broken.
 
LordFoom said:
Pirating microsoft software strengthens microsoft, it doesn't really hurt them because, hey, guess what OS you're using?
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That's exactly why MS did not go ballistic against China for all the pirated copies of Windows there, instead they offered indemnity to all "pirates" (mainly students and SOHO business) by giving them a legal licence if they paid what amounted to USD19 to legitimise the OS (at the time the OS was selling for hundreds of dollars.)

So they leveraged the Chinese by increasing the price of Windows to the rest of the world.
For those who still can't see it, let me re-phrase that: you pay more for Windows now, because MS made a deal with China. You are paying for China.
 
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"And in other news, following the example that Microsoft set with charging other software makers for using their patents, the ANC party has decided to officially patent stupidity. The South African Economy should overtake that of the US and China by tenfold."
 
BravoFox said:
"And in other news, following the example that Microsoft set with charging other software makers for using their patents, the ANC party has decided to officially patent stupidity. The South African Economy should overtake that of the US and China by tenfold."
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Thanks - that just made my day :D
 
I guess this is what open source is about. having greater distribution. I think its not licensing as you can't license open source software however it means that they are offering support on certain products.
 
1) Two of the patents cited by Microsoft cover legacy compatibility features in Microsoft's FAT filesystem, support for which is implemented in Linux
TomTom intends to make the requisite changes to the FAT code within the next two years. The company's agreement with Microsoft provides a guarantee that it will not sue TomTom users in the interim.

2) The three patents that TomTom believes Microsoft has infringed upon are "Generating a Maneuver at the Intersection Through A Turn Lane" (5,902,350), "Route Generation in a Vehicle Navigation System" (5,938,720), and "Quick Selection of Destinations in an Automobile Navigation System" (6,660,994). Microsoft's Streets and Trips software uses similar methods to generate its navigational directions, and TomTom says that Microsoft knowingly adapted TomTom's patents in order to implement this functionality.

3) Navigation device-maker TomTom has settled its patent dispute with Microsoft, putting an end to the current round of litigation between the two companies. The terms of the settlement, which were announced by Microsoft on Monday, are said to be fully GPL compliant.
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Much todo about nothing
ALL software companies are in constant litigation over patents and this is a spek of snow on the tip of the iceberg.
 
I know that Microsoft have patented the 'double-click', so I would imagine that this is the calibre of their patent portfolio.

While some of their patents, like the vfat patent, might be valid (in as much as any software patent can be valid), I would imagine that the vast majority of their patents are little more than trolling exercises.

By settling out of court Microsoft probably believe that they can persuade the business community (and possibly judicial officials), that their patents have merit.

http://www.linuxinsider.com/rsstory/69410.html

Cross-licensing is just a shakedown tactic on Microsoft's part, suggested Techdirt blogger Mike Masnick.

"Every few years, Microsoft tries to convince the world that Linux violates its patents," he wrote. "These sorts of 'we won't sue you, if you don't sue us' deals are pretty common in the tech world, and hardly noteworthy, other than the fact that apparently some of the patents Amazon are getting protected against being sued over concern how it uses Linux."

In the end, Amazon still had to pay cash to Microsoft, on top of effectively paying more by licensing its own patents, noted Masnick. "It does seem pretty problematic, doesn't it, when a company has to 'pay' Microsoft (whether in cash or via licenses to its own patents) just to use Linux? Perhaps it's time to redefine the 'Microsoft tax.'"
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MightyMuffinMan said:
I guess this is what open source is about. having greater distribution. I think its not licensing as you can't license open source software however it means that they are offering support on certain products.
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Um .. you most certainly can license open source software .. what do you think the GNU GPL (aka "General Public License") is? :erm:
I highly doubt Microsoft is offering (or ever will) any Linux support.. :rolleyes:
 
Yip, Microsoft is pulling some dodgy moves again. Nothing new in that !
 
Support Linux. (aka install it - ask game makers to make yours games run on it... etc)
Help to bring competition to the market.
It can be done.
 
It Dont belong to you MS.

:mad:America's way of implementing the one world order. Control Freaks. :) May God bring them to knees, those who infringe on other peoples software.:D Leave Lynux alone or suffer the consequences. It is no wonder why hackers attack MS Windows with viruses.
 
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