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Torvalds Says Microsoft is Bluffing on Patents

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the summon-the-patent-attorneys-from-their-crypts dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft's aggressive defense of its intellectual property, which includes claims that Linux violates a number of its patents, is nothing more than "a marketing thing," according to Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux kernel. "They have been sued for patents by other people, but I don't think they've — not that I've gone through any huge amount of law cases — but I don't think they've generally used patents as a weapon," Torvalds said. "But they're perfectly happy to use anything at all as fear, uncertainty and doubt in the marketplace, and patents is just one thing where they say, 'Hey, isn't this convenient? We can use this as a PR force.'""

4 of 157 comments (clear)

  1. Linus has a law degree now... by tgatliff · · Score: -1, Troll

    Good for Linus!! I didnt realize Linus had gotten a law degree now... This is kind of away from his core of expertise, but additional education is always good!!! I mean I would dont think it would not be wise for him to advise any company or person on such legal matters without significantly investigating the situation before hand... :)

  2. Same stuff, different day. by jskline · · Score: 0, Troll

    I still will NEVER EVER buy a Zune, I've almost completely exited from Office now in favor of Open Office, and XP is all that is left and won't be upgraded. Will NOT go Vista;... EVER.

    Two laptops. One legacy XP Pro, and the other Ubuntu with all my code development stuff and electronics software on it.

    Hay; Ballmer!... Shut your fart mouth ass up. Unless you got it you can't bring it. If you got it, bring it. Otherwise; shut the hell up and go back into your hole you call an office.

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  3. All hail Linus ... blah blah blah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Linus is a cunt, he's always mouthing off about stuff he doesn't know anything about. Who gives a shit about his opinions? It might as well be me babbling away to the media.

  4. In other news... by HairyNevus · · Score: 0, Troll

    Linus uses speculations against Microsoft as PR for his own damn self, and slashdot gobbles it all up. Also, Microsoft just appointed Torvalds as "guy-who-would-totally-know-about-our-patents". True story.

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