Microsoft, Amazon Ink Kindle and Linux Patent Deal

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."

Comments

Anti-trust anyone?

[Anonymous Coward]

If all copyright holders on software patents start to create bilateral agreements, it will eventually become clear that software patents are only an artificial entry barrier.

Re:Anti-trust anyone?

[HungryHobo]

To be fair they really are.
Without patents:

1: I write some nice software and sell it.
2a: I make a little money, not enough to quit my day job.
2b: I don't make money, all I've lost is time.

With patents:
1: I try to research previous patents, they're almost unreadable..... I have no money to hire a patent lawyer(barrier to entry one)... so I can't be certain if my idea has already been patented.
2a: I stop for fear of infringing on someones patent and being sued into the ground.(barrier to entry 2)
2b: I keep going and write my app... it might be infringing but I don't think it is....
3a: I make a little money.
3b: I make no money.
4: Someone sues me.
5a: It is infringing- well they pull out records that yes I did view their patent in the course of my research in step 1 and obviously stole their idea. They get tripple damages I lose my house. (barrier to entry 3)
5b: It is not infringing - so what. I don't have the money for a good lawyer, they win I lose my house.(barrier to entry 4)
5c: It is not infringing - by some miracle I win.... I'm still left with a pile of legal bills and I lose my house.(barrier to entry 5)

In theory the patent system could help me by letting me be just like the guys who sue in the above but I don't have the thousands of dollars it takes to get a patent through nor the time.

Sounds one-sided to me

[Akido37]

Microsoft issued a news release celebrating the accord, while Amazon declined to comment.

Microsoft says the agreement covers technologies in products such as Amazon's Kindle

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

It sounds like Amazon got caught violating one or more of Microsoft's patents, and this deal was arranged to avoid a lawsuit.

Lie down with the dog, wake up with the fleas

[Richy_T]

So long Amazon, it was nice knowing you.

Re:You Know What Else This Means ...

[autophile]

Will we see the death of Microsoft's .lit format [microsoft.com] in favor of Kindle's .azw?

Oh, I hope not. Both formats suck compared to epub, and azw (i.e. mobipocket) is an extremely stripped-down version of html. Lit at least has more html functionality. But I hope both formats die.

My own take is that Microsoft wants to put out an ebook reader which will probably use Amazon's patents, so Microsoft probably told Amazon "Nice patent portfolio you got here. Be a shame if it burned down. You should have insurance!"