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Microsoft Tech Specs Prohibit GPL Implementations

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the difference-between-trust-and-anti-trust dept.

abartlet writes "As described in this Advogato entry, MS is trying to pull a swifty with their latest 'release' of their CIFS (the networked filesystem Samba implements) Technical Reference. The licence specifically prohibits any GPLed or (or LGPLed) program from implementing it, defining it as an 'IPR Impairing Licence'! Fortunately the CIFS community is about to release its own Technical Reference based on earlier MS documents and long experience in attempting to interoperate with the MS product." Microsoft's claim is completely ungrounded - nothing written by a third-party can take away Microsoft's intellectual property rights. But it makes a good (read: confusing to the general public) justification for preventing others from interoperating with their software.

7 of 803 comments (clear)

  1. YES by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    FP

  2. Re:hrm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I claim this Frostiest of Pists in the good name of AC's everywhere.

  3. Another competitor / another monopoly abuse by ch-chuck · · Score: 2, Offtopic

    It just goes on and on and on. It's like those people in the antitrust trial are lost in space, wasting vast amounts of time and effort dwelling over finer and finer points of legalese (which is exactly what Msft wants, splitting hairs indefinately) while the abuse of power goes on and on and on.

    --
    try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
  4. THIRD WORLD WAR by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    At this moment, Bush, Arafat, Sharon, the oilindustry,the weaponindustry are preparing the third world war. Using the press on both sides of the world, (the muslim-world and the west) they are creating anger. In the muslim world the inacceptible war-politics of Sharon (they are doing A LOT MORE DAMAGE THAN IRAQ DID BY INVADING KUWAIT !!! Talk about hypocrisy from the USA ...) create a lot of NEW TERRORISTS ( think about it, as geeks you have brains : use them for godsake !) And in the western world, an image of fundamentalistic, religious fanatisism is projected on ALL muslims, not solely on the few (how many deaths have fallen on palestinian side and how many on israelli side ?) palestinians who commited suicide-attacks. So, when you think about it, you can imagine yourself a playground, where 2 kids are fighting for a toy, and one of the two kids(israel,palestina) has backup from a bully (the USA) and they have both a lot of friends, lets say each one half of the playground, which are getting angrier with the minute, and are considering taking their knives and guns out. Do not be fooled, stay calm : peace is the only solution.

  5. Re:Ugh! by Spankophile · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Obviously he's not getting any advice from anybody.

    "ungrounded" isn't even a word.

    Perhaps he meant groundless? Or unFOUNDed.

    Ugh is right.

  6. Re:No IPL! Please! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    your sig is retarded. once you have 50 karma, you can only go down. so you start at 50, add 3, and add 1... and you get 50. subtract one to get 49, add two and get 50, then subtract one and get 49.

  7. Re:Ladies and Gentlemen of the "Supposed Jury"... by GTRacer · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    A: That was funny!! Well-done SP reference!

    B: (A) excluded, you STILL deserve mod points for getting the spellings of 'Wookiee' and 'Kashyyyk' right. Self-proclaimed Star Wars freaks who keep blowing 'Wookiee' get on my nerves...

    GTRacer
    - Yes, I do have better things to do, and No, I don't care

    --
    Defending IP by destroying access to it? That makes sense, RIAA/MPAA. Go to the corner until you can play nice!