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Should Microsoft's Amdocs Deal Worry Data Center Operators?
On Tuesday, Microsoft signed a patent cross-license agreement with Amdocs Software Systems. They specifically noted in their press release that the agreement covered Amdocs' use of 'Linux-based servers in its data centers,' and noted that Amdocs paid them money for the privilege. In light of the current state of mobile device licensing, with Microsoft getting a cut from most Android device sales, should data centers operators worry about having to pay Microsoft for their use of Linux servers? From the article: "To date, Linux advocates have been hypersensitive to any move Microsoft has made against the open-source OS—which, to be fair, Microsoft has seen as a threat since its inception. It's certainly possible that Amdocs approached Microsoft for a patent cross-license for its own purposes; but if that's the case, Amdocs would likely have disclosed that fact. Amdocs representatives declined to comment on the deal, and the arrangement has been completely ignored on the Amdocs Website. ... The question, though, is whether Microsoft will begin eyeing data-center operators as a similar source of licensing revenue. The company has avoided directly challenging Linux developer/distributors such IBM or Red Hat, instead targeting partners and customers."
Actually they're brilliant.
They're slowly and quietly geting a hold of linux by using their patents. Quietly, I mean because there are no big lawsuits. They're easing into every possible niche where you find Linux.
Apple on the other hand, uses it's patents to bash anyone who opposes them, rocking the boat and pushing everyone out of their comfort zones. They're actually forcing the change of the patent laws.
I'd say it would be for the better, but considering how many laws got twisted back into something even more restrictive, I won't hold my breath. Well, in the USA anyway, the EU, seems to follow a different logic set.
See if you look at what they're doing, they're not actually trying to stem the flow of their "IP".
If their IP was valuable, or if they had a reasonable case, they'd take it to redhat, etc...
I mean if I invented something and someone big was selling the same thing.... and I had a case for it.... Why would I go after small potatoes Users rather than the big guy with $1billion dollars?
Unless my goal is to just extract small payments out of everyone because I know that I don't have a real case. Just be enough of a nuissance that people pay me to go away rather than fix the problem. I have no interest in fixing the problem, that doesn't benefit my wallet. Especially if the problem is trivial.
Where's the IBM suit? Oracle? Redhat? no, they could change things so that I wouldn't get my paychecks.
Why not at least tell people what's infringing so that I can be honest? Patents aren't secret anyways, so any patent I have is already public, but how I'm using them isn't. NDA's all around so that nobody ever knows and can't file a class-action for my security payments..
Pay me or I'll smash up your small bar.