Linus Responds To Microsoft Patent Claims

An anonymous reader writes "Linus Torvalds has a sharp retort to Microsoft executives' statements in a Fortune article that Linux violates 235 Microsoft patents. In an emailed response to InformationWeek's Charlie Babcock, Torvalds writes: 'It's certainly a lot more likely that Microsoft violates patents than Linux does.' He added: 'Basic operating system theory was pretty much done by the end of the 1960s. IBM probably owned thousand of really "fundamental" patents... The fundamental stuff... has long, long since lost any patent protection.'" Torvalds also commented on Microsoft's stated intention not to sue Linux users: "They'd have to name the patents then, and they're probably happier with the FUD than with any lawsuit."

Comments

MS Blunder

[huckamania]

As much press as this non-story has gotten, it might have one lasting side effect, bringing all the OSS camps together. There's nothing like an external threat to rally a community. I expect RMS will be chiming in soon, so now we'll know that they can agree on some things.

Re:constitutional lawyers?

[F1re]

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8:

The Congress shall have Power *** To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.

Fsck Microsoft's mafia tactics

[xgr3gx]

Waaaa, Waaaa. Look at me, I'm Microsoft, our newest OS isn't selling as well as we expected, even after a multi million dollar marketing blitz. Oh no, what are we going to do now? It's not our fault, lets blame someone else and start sueing. Waaaah.

Cry me a fucking river M$. All you ever do is create "me too" products, or buy out competitors when you can't compete.

Your own lack of innovation is what's killing you, not open-source. Take a hike. I hope your law suits blow up in your face.

People are starting to wake up and realize they don't have to be your bitch anymore.

I used to be not so anti-microsoft, just a die hard Linux user. Now I'm boycotting Microsoft products. I will never buy another M$ software or hardware product again.

Aaah, my rant is over. I feel better. There's my $0.02.