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Is Microsoft About To Declare Patent War On Linux?

Posted by Soulskill on from the looking-for-an-excuse dept.

Glyn Moody writes "Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, has just published a piece called 'Apple v. HTC: A Step Along the Path of Addressing IP Rights in Smartphones.' In it, he notes that today's smartphones are all about the 'software stack,' not the 'radio stack,' and that 'as the IP situation settles in this space and licensing takes off, we will see the patent royalties applicable to the smartphone software stack settle at a level that reflects the increasing importance software has as a portion of the overall value of the device. In the interim, though, we should expect continued activity.' That 'activity' obviously means lawsuits against those producing those software stacks, and Gutierrez seems to be hinting strongly that Microsoft intends to join in. So where does that leave all the Linux-based stacks such as the increasingly-popular Android? Is this just a clever way for Microsoft to start a patent war on Linux without appearing to do so?"

5 of 204 comments (clear)

  1. FUD article by sopssa · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What a complete piece of FUD article. Nowhere in the original post he say anything about Linux or using this to attack Linux or Open Source in general. In fact, this is a guy who has previously wrote this about Microsoft open sourcing:

    Some observers question how a company can contribute to open source projects while, at the same time, insisting on respect of its intellectual property rights by its competitors. In fact, these two things are not inconsistent, and striking a balance between them is one of the key things every commercial technology company must do in order to compete effectively in a mixed source world.

    Yeah, it really seems like his out there to destroy Linux.

    Did the article writer also forget that Microsoft does Windows Mobile? He says " one that doesn't even involve Microsoft directly.". How does mobile market not concern Microsoft directly when it's making Windows Mobile, an OS that HTC has always been it's flagship manufacturer.

    Then completely out of context he quotes Bill Gates words from 1976, 34 years ago, how programmers should be paid for their work instead of doing everything for free. Did he just completely ignore how well funded Linux and some other OSS projects actually are? Mozilla alone brings in $80 million a year.

    It's not about destroying Linux, it's about making some sense to patent fights in mobile markets.

    1. Re:FUD article by Pojut · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I've noticed Slashdot doing this more and more. There used to be a frivolous article once a week, twice at most. Now though, it seems there is at least one or two every day. What happened?

      --
      Living With a Nerd
    2. Re:FUD article by east+coast · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Slashdot took a serious nose dive when they left behind the tech and took up the banner of political activism. I knew that on the day they (as in KDawson) started posting non-tech political articles on the front page that all kinds of weirdos and trolls were going to come out of the woodwork. The genie is out of the bottle and nothing is going to stop the endless cheap shots and mud smearing between idealogical camps.

      --
      Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
    3. Re:FUD article by gad_zuki! · · Score: 5, Insightful

      >Just like how TLC is no longer a learning channel, but gets more viewers

      How dare you, sir! I have learned lots from TLC and the History channel. Specifically:

      1. The Paranormal powers of Hitler and the eventual return of his ghost.
      2. How Jesus and Bigfoot are flying to Alpha Centauri to establish a new religion.
      3. That Nazi gold is buried in the Andes and only an expert dowser and his sidekick spirtual medium can find it.
      4. How prophecies from hundreds of years ago apply in my everyday life!
      5. That Stalin's mustache was the seat of his paranormal power!
      6. That Nessie was the dinosaur Noah rode after the flood!
      7. That special codes in the Bible reveal winning lotto numbers!

      Thats stuff they wont teach you in school.

  2. 6 subtle ways /. disguises bullshit as facts by Rhaban · · Score: 5, Insightful

    well, almost:

    http://www.cracked.com/article_18458_6-subtle-ways-news-media-disguises-bullshit-as-fact.html