Why Microsoft Won't List Claimed Patent Violations

BlueOni0n writes "Earlier today, Microsoft announced it will begin actively seeking reparations for claimed patent infringement by Linux and the open source community in general. One opinion on why Microsoft won't reveal these 235 alleged IP infringements to the public is that they're afraid of having the claims debunked or challenged — so instead they're waiting until the OS community comes to the bargaining table. But a more optimistic thought is that Microsoft may be afraid to list these supposed violations because it knows the patents can be worked around by the open source community, leaving Microsoft high and dry without any leverage at all."

Comments

Re:I might respect Microsoft

[DrDitto]

Microsoft hires people. Lots of people. So go on and support your free, open-source software done by people in their spare time. Kill off careers in software development.

Because the claims are bogus.

[twitter]

Perhaps, as in the case of SCO, MSFT would rather not have PJ at Groklaw dissect their claims...

Worthy claims can stand up to review. Worthy software can stand up to competition. Once again, M$ has nothing but judicial extortion. Their failure is at hand.

It's easier than that.

[twitter]

it will be really easy to convince about 90% of the population that buying a computer with Microsoft inside is evil...

90% of the population wants nothing to do with Vista already. M$ is breaking XP, and a nice live CD like Mepis can seal the deal.

another dud.

[twitter]

Seriously, Microsoft is getting ready to pull off their kid gloves, now. ... Get ready for the fight of your lives - this will make SCO look like yesterday's donuts.

They never wore kid gloves and have poured as much FUD as hard as they can from the very beginning. This is really their last ditch. When it fails, and it will, they have nothing left.

Fact worth repeating, M$ has nothing.

[twitter]

Yesterday there was a link to a story on this issue, followed by lots of discussion as to why Microsoft is doing what they are doing. Today there is an opinion piece regarding the original story, in which someone lays out unsubstantiated brainstorms, all of which were covered yesterday.

Microsoft won't reveal it's supposed patents. That's a fact worth searing a Slashdot summary. A casual reader may have missed it. The Fortune article was long and will dissapear but the astroturfers can not deny the fact while the article is up. This story will preserve that fact for people who may later not believe that such a company as M$ existed and could be so brazen.