Gates: Microsoft IP Finds Its Way Into Free Software

Andy Tai writes "While speaking to financial analysts and commenting on the SCO lawsuit, Bill Gates made the claim that Microsoft's IP is also included in Free/Open source software. Without being specific, he said "There's no question that in cloning activities, IP from many, many companies, including Microsoft, is being used in open-source software. When people clone things, that often becomes unavoidable." Considering Microsoft's claims of ownership over technologies like CIFS, does this mean Microsoft may also launch SCO-style attacks against Free Software/Open Source?"

Comments

What would be cool: "Put Up Or Shut Up"

[wowbagger]

What would be cool would be if IBM were to lend its legal department to the various copyright holders of Free software to enable the following:

foreach person {Linus Tridge Miguel ... }
{
Maito -type registered -return_receipt true \
-person "Bill Gates" -company "Microsoft" \
-text subst [
$legalease(HEADER)
Mr. Gates, I am the copyright holder of the free
software program $FOSS($person), and I would like
you to either
a) show explicitly where my code contains Microsoft IP
or
b) state publicly that your accusation does not apply to my program.
Failure to comply will be considered an act of libel.
$legalease(FOOTER)
]
}


To the lawyers in the audience: could the copyright holders of the various projects do this and have a legal standing?