On Wed, Feb 20, 2008 at 2:37 PM, Gene Heskett <gene.heskett@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Wednesday 20 February 2008, Phil Meyer wrote:I follow Pamela.
>Gene Heskett wrote:
>> Greetings folks;
>>
>> As a staunch believer in Open Source in the form of linux, I've always
>> wondered just where M$ would attack linux, and it appears they have found
>> an ally and a willing vehicle in Novel, who I am told now owns gnome.
>>
>> I'll let the data in this link speak for itself.
>>
>> <http://boycottnovell.com/2008/02/15/mono-contamination-in-ubuntu/>
>
>...
>
>Might I recommend http://groklaw.net where these issues have been
>researched as closely as humanly possible.
Both of which have deeeeep pockets, and could sue each other for decades which
>MS is a real threat to the FOSS community, make no mistake. However,
>most of their FUD campaigns fail under scrutiny.
>
>The single biggest threat to FOSS are software patents. It is
>unknowable who will pull the trigger first. It might well be MS, but it
>could be IBM or any number of patent trolls.
>
>If you want to really stretch the ability of your tinfoil hat, just
>consider:
>
>1. IBM has the largest patent portfolio in the world.
>2. MS has submited as many as 3,000 patent applications a year for the
>last several years.
>3. IBM has sold off all corporate assets that had contractual
>obligations to MS.
>
>Can you even imagine what would happen if IBM and MS were to declare
>open war over software patents?
would in the end only enrichen the lawyers. No profit in that.
I've Been Moved is currently on our side, apparently having seen the
handwriting on the wall several years ago. But M$ most certainly isn't, and
I can't think of any better a way than to sign don't sue agreements with one
of the more prolific contributors to FOSS in general, and sit back and wait
till their contributions contain enough patented stuff to throw a real 36"
monkey wrench in the gears by suing the rest of the linux folks out of
existence because those deeeeep pockets aren't there.
,
We will know M$ is desperate when they start canvasing neighborhoods to see who's running linux. As for Novell, well they either screwed themselves or did everyone a big favor( i think they just wanted the infusion of capital). Microsoft has yet to reveal these supposed patent violations, i think any court in the land would say that it is reasonable to list the patents so that the situation can be rectified but so far they have refused. I believe they are full of shit and they won't list the violations either because: 1)there aren't any, 2)someone they can't get to sign one of these ludicrous agreements(ie REDHAT) has a bigger gun ( in some form or another), 3)they could potentially have to open their code to prove it( which may show how many patents they are violating, while also showing the world a crapload of new vulnerabilities
to exploit), 4) any patent violations would be easily rectified or shown to be obvious.
M$ doesn't even have the balls to attack linux directly anymore, they hide behind proxies I'd say they are losing their nerve over in Redmond. In the end only one thing is sure, its gonna interesting.
,
We will know M$ is desperate when they start canvasing neighborhoods to see who's running linux. As for Novell, well they either screwed themselves or did everyone a big favor( i think they just wanted the infusion of capital). Microsoft has yet to reveal these supposed patent violations, i think any court in the land would say that it is reasonable to list the patents so that the situation can be rectified but so far they have refused. I believe they are full of shit and they won't list the violations either because: 1)there aren't any, 2)someone they can't get to sign one of these ludicrous agreements(ie REDHAT) has a bigger gun ( in some form or another), 3)they could potentially have to open their code to prove it( which may show how many patents they are violating, while also showing the world a crapload of new vulnerabilities
to exploit), 4) any patent violations would be easily rectified or shown to be obvious.
M$ doesn't even have the balls to attack linux directly anymore, they hide behind proxies I'd say they are losing their nerve over in Redmond. In the end only one thing is sure, its gonna interesting.
,
