Ballmer Suggests Linux Distros Will Soon Have to Pay Up

An anonymous reader writes "Via Groklaw comes comments from Microsoft's Steve Ballmer at a UK event, in which the company once again threatens Linux distributions that haven't signed up with their program. '"People who use Red Hat, at least with respect to our intellectual property, in a sense have an obligation to compensate us," Ballmer said last week ... Ballmer praised Novell at the UK event for valuing intellectual property, and suggested that open source vendors will be forced to strike similar deals with other patent holders. He predicted that firms like Eolas will soon come after open source vendors or users. Microsoft paid $521m to settle a patent claim by Eolas in August.'"

Comments

Which IPs in particular?

[ubrgeek]

I couldn't tell from the article, but which intellectual property is MS saying open source solutions are infringing on? Or am I misunderstanding the issue?

Re:Which IPs in particular?

[germ!nation]

If SCO has taught us anything it's that you don't have to tell anyone the details, even the judge.

Re:Which IPs in particular?

[Anonymous Coward]

Ahhh, gotcha.

A chair throwing patent.

Re:Which IPs in particular?

[Linker3000]

Dunno, but I note that at least one M$ product infringes my Patent #911112999:

"A method of arranging for the decimal value 65535, and calculations resulting therein, to be consistently rendered as 100000 so as to confuse the shit out of those persons performing the calculation"

Re:Which IPs in particular?

[JWW]

There is only one company out there that champions Linux that could withstand this onslaught.

IBM

They also happen to be one of the few companies in the world that could effectively retaliate.

Look for it to go down something like this....

1) Microsoft threatens a Linux company, lets say.... Red Hat.
2) IBM buys controlling interest in Red Hat.

now it then becomes either.

Microsoft backs off this patent bullshit.

or

Global Thermonuclear Patent War.

Also, the amount of ill will generated by Microsoft should they choose to go after users directly instead of Linux companies. If they ever came after me looking for money because I downloaded Ubuntu. I would go from reluctant use of MS products to incredibly vocal sworn enemy of absolutely everything Microsoft really quickly.

hmmm...

[Enoxice]

The real life equivalent of the AI meeting with the player every turn to say "we demand tribute for our patience" and demanding gold and technology. Too bad I can't have my usual response: a full-out attack, leaving their names to the annals of history! muahaha!

I don't play too much CivII, do I?

Re:Pay you for what?

[Dunbal]

I use Linux, in part because I didn't want to give you any money anymore, so could you please explain to me why you think I owe you money?

Microsoft: Well, you own a computer, don't you?

The obvious solution

[Synn]

For Ubuntu and Debian, I'd recommend they just give Microsoft 5% of all the profit they make off selling Linux to customers.

Darl? You in there?

[thejuggler]

I missed the press release. When did Darl McBride start working for Microsoft? Maybe he do for Microsoft everything he did for SCO!