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Microsoft takes on the free world (Gates wants royalties on Linux)
Fortune Magazine ^ | May 13, 2007 | Roger Parloff

Posted on 05/13/2007 4:05:27 PM PDT by Zakeet

click here to read article


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"All your software are belong to us." - Steve Ballmer

Read how in this rather long article.

1 posted on 05/13/2007 4:05:30 PM PDT by Zakeet
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To: Zakeet

Frankly anybody can write an operating system. Since a patent is on actual code and your code will be different without doubt, home free. Is it possible to disable 95% of this Windows stuff so the computer boots up in less than a cigarette and cup of coffee?


2 posted on 05/13/2007 4:08:53 PM PDT by RightWhale (Repeal the Treaty)
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To: Zakeet

Nothing, nothing beat the greed of big business and elected officals, local, state and the greedest of all the ones in the sewer called Washington.


3 posted on 05/13/2007 4:09:07 PM PDT by chiefqc
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To: Zakeet

Wait; you can copyright the “Blue Screen of Death” or having your financial information stolen?

Who knew?


4 posted on 05/13/2007 4:11:39 PM PDT by noblejones (Ben Stein for President, 2008.)
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To: RightWhale

Get more random access memory (RAM). If running Vista, a notorious memory hog, make that at least 4 GB of RAM. Or install Linux and pay the bribes that Microsoft demands of you.


5 posted on 05/13/2007 4:12:02 PM PDT by dufekin (Name the leader of our enemy: Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, terrorist dictator)
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To: Zakeet

Ballmer can “bite me”


6 posted on 05/13/2007 4:12:10 PM PDT by xcamel (Press to Test, Release to Detonate)
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To: Swordmaker; HAL9000; Malsua; Ernest_at_the_Beach

computer ping


7 posted on 05/13/2007 4:12:42 PM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote.)
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Ballmer might reconsider what he wishes for...

"So if Microsoft ever sued Linux distributor Red Hat for patent infringement, for instance, OIN might sue Microsoft in retaliation, trying to enjoin distribution of Windows.
FOSS has some deep pockets behind it also.
8 posted on 05/13/2007 4:16:04 PM PDT by D-fendr
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To: Zakeet
Microsoft: The Borg Of The Software World

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

9 posted on 05/13/2007 4:16:12 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Zakeet
At the same time, Smith was having Microsoft's lawyers figure out how many of its patents were being infringed by free and open-source software. Gutierrez refuses to identify specific patents or explain how they're being infringed, lest FOSS advocates start filing challenges to them.

Boy that sounds familiar.

10 posted on 05/13/2007 4:16:28 PM PDT by vbmoneyspender
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To: Zakeet

This is what happens when the patent system is harnessed to stifle innovation and variety, instead of its intended purpose of rewarding creativity and individual effort.

Patent law is in dire need of reform to cope with the “virtual” products if the information age.


11 posted on 05/13/2007 4:16:51 PM PDT by LexBaird (98% satisfaction guaranteed. There's just no pleasing some people.)
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To: Zakeet
To promote freeze and degrade the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times Forever to Authors and Inventors Bureaucratic Corporations and Lawyers the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries

The Constitution 2007

12 posted on 05/13/2007 4:17:38 PM PDT by bvw
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To: dufekin
Get more random access memory (RAM). If running Vista, a notorious memory hog, make that at least 4 GB of RAM. Or install Linux and pay the bribes that Microsoft demands of you.

I'm no hardware geek, but I'm under the impression even Vista cannot access more than 2.5 gigs of RAM. Getting 4 is a waste of money.
13 posted on 05/13/2007 4:17:42 PM PDT by plsvn
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To: RightWhale
Patents are not on “actual code”. Copyrights cover actual code.

This article states that Microsoft is claiming patent infringement. Given the broad brush that corporations used to develop their patent portfolios beginning in the early 1990’s, I would suspect that MS can probably identify a large number of patent infringements. The fact that they are challenging “open source” just makes their job easier.

14 posted on 05/13/2007 4:19:16 PM PDT by the_Watchman
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To: plsvn

So Vista can’t use the memory it insists on hogging? Why? No wonder it’s under-performing.


15 posted on 05/13/2007 4:20:22 PM PDT by dufekin (Name the leader of our enemy: Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, terrorist dictator)
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To: Zakeet

Just one more reason for me to jettison XP in favor of another Linux distribution, heh heh heh...

...wonder if I’ll actually pull the trigger, tho’...


16 posted on 05/13/2007 4:20:37 PM PDT by KStorm (Ballmer can, well, you know.)
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To: chiefqc
Nothing, nothing beat the greed of big business and elected officals, local, state and the greedest of all the ones in the sewer called Washington.

Otzi, the 5000 year old mummified man of the Alps was found to have an arrow lodged in his back. Human nature has not changed one iota in 5000 years.

17 posted on 05/13/2007 4:22:36 PM PDT by VRW Conspirator ("All you need for happiness is a good gun, a good horse, and a good wife" - Daniel Boone)
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To: xcamel
Ballmer can “bite me.”

You’ll want a rabies shot.

18 posted on 05/13/2007 4:23:16 PM PDT by dighton
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To: RightWhale
Since a patent is on actual code and your code will be different without doubt, home free.

Huh? Maybe you are thinking of copyright?

A software patent is not on actual code. For example, the Unisys patent on the LZW compression algorthim (which has expired) described the algorithm and provided code in Fortran. But if you rewrote it in C, you would still have had to license it from Unisys because it was the algorthim that was patented, not the bits.

19 posted on 05/13/2007 4:23:39 PM PDT by Mannaggia l'America
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To: Zakeet

Methinks the microsoft lady doth protest too much. If what they got is so good they need to bring it, not sing it. Else it’s “This time we’re REALLY going to get mad - so mad we just might sue you”. They got nothing, IMHO.


20 posted on 05/13/2007 4:23:39 PM PDT by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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