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Microsoft, Amazon Ink Kindle and Linux Patent Deal

Posted by Soulskill on from the not-a-random-headline-generator dept.

theodp writes "Microsoft says it has reached a wide-ranging IP agreement with Amazon in which each company has granted the other a license to its patent portfolio. Microsoft says the agreement covers technologies in products such as Amazon's Kindle — including open-source and proprietary technologies used in the e-reader — in addition to the use of Linux-based servers. Microsoft issued a news release celebrating the accord, while Amazon declined to comment. 'We are pleased to have entered into this patent license agreement with Amazon.com,' said Microsoft's deputy general counsel. 'Microsoft's patent portfolio is the largest and strongest in the software industry, and this agreement demonstrates our mutual respect for intellectual property as well as our ability to reach pragmatic solutions to IP issues regardless of whether proprietary or open source software is involved.' A Microsoft representative declined to say which of its products are covered by the deal."

6 of 161 comments (clear)

  1. Erm by ilovegeorgebush · · Score: 5, Funny

    A Microsoft representative declined to say which of its products are covered by the deal."

    Which is like doing the following:
    "Hey dude, I did something really cool!"
    "Oh yeah, what's that?"
    "Not telling! Tee hee!"

    --
    ilovegeorgebush
  2. Crap, what next by Zerth · · Score: 3, Funny

    American automakers team up with Japanese automakers to produce an electric car?
    Walmart inks a deal to take over every state's welfare department?
    In an effort to keep Microsoft in the US, Canada becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Google?

    Wait, those last two sound feasible...

  3. "Largest and Strongest" overcompensating? by LaminatorX · · Score: 5, Funny

    Microsoft's patent portfolio is the largest and strongest in the software industry...

    ..for certain definitions of "the software industry" which exclude the International Business Machines Corporation.

  4. Re:You Know What Else This Means ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    But i thought Microsoft said >3 character extensions are for losers?

    .docx

    Oh... oh, nevermind.

  5. Corporate blackmail by kaaposc · · Score: 1, Funny

    Rephrasing Al Capone's famous quote:

    "You can get further with a kind word and a mighty patent portfolio than you can with just a kind word."

  6. Awesome by Petersko · · Score: 2, Funny

    "...but I imagine... probably has something to do with... they appear to..."

    That's just awesome. You got +5 informative explaining how Microsoft mighht be guilty of unknown shenanigans.

    Slashdot's just plain broken.