Microsoft Charging Royalties For Linux

andydread writes "It seems Microsoft's campaign to scare manufacturers away from open source and Linux in particular is proceeding at full force. The latest news is from Digitimes out of Taiwan. Apparently Microsoft is threatening Acer and Asustek with having to pay Microsoft a license fee for the privilege of deploying Linux on their devices. This time, it's in the form of Android and Chorme OS. So basically, this campaign is spreading to PC vendors now. What are the implications of this? Does this mean that if I build PCs with Linux (Ubuntu/ChromeOS/Fedora) and sell them I am at risk of getting sued by Microsoft? "

Comments

Re:Installing Linux...

[pedantic bore]

Yup.

Whoever wrote the summary should have read the article...

Here's my summary:

Microsoft: "Hey, smartphone makers, you're using some of our patented technology."

Smartphone makers: "Can't disagree with you."

Microsoft: "So, you should give me some money."

Smartphone makers: "Yeah, I guess."

Microsoft: "If you were already paying for them by buying a windows license, then we'd already square. But since you're not, then just give me a few bucks per unit. Cool?"

Smartphone makers: "Cool. Just don't tell the folks at slashdot, because they'll twist this around to make it sound like you're trying to intimidate us into not using Android, rather than us trying to license technology from you that we want to use in our phone."

Microsoft: "Yeah, and then somehow tie this in to their precious desktop linux."

Smartphone makers: "(snort)"