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Linspire/Microsoft Agreement Useless to Users
Stephen Samuel writes "Groklaw host PJ has dissected the 'patent peace' agreement between Linspire and Microsoft, and has determined that what Linspire agreed to is next to useless for many users. Essentially, under the agreement Linspire software is almost unusable: 'You can't share the software with others, pass it on with the patent promise, modify your own copy, or even use it for an "unauthorized" purpose, whatever that means in a software context. You must pay Linspire for the software, but then the "covenant" says to use Linux, you must also pay Microsoft. That payment doesn't cover upgrades. Linspire said it was absorbing the initial fees, but I don't know about upgrades. New functionality means you lose your coverage or presumably must pay again.'"
Linspire should just expire.
3 things about computers: they're alive, they're self-aware, and they hate your guts.
Luckily there are 300 other distros to choose from :)
MS is operating along the same lines. The assumption is that you owe Microsoft something for using Linux, ...
Using MS Windows for so many years is *why* I switched to Linux.
I guess I owe them for that. But now they want to charge you for it?
Okay, when you install MS-Windows, what icon do you get on your desktop?
That's right. "My Computer." (Among others. Stop yer quibbling.)
Who owns that icon?
That's right. Microsoft.
Microsoft is to software what Budweiser is to beer.
Basically, Microsoft says "we won't sue Linspire users as long as they only do X, Y and Z".
Where X, Y and Z include paying Microsoft.
I believe posters are recognized by their sig. So I made one.