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Microsoft, Linux and Patents
AP Lawrence ^ | 04/05/2006 | AP Lawrence?

Posted on 04/05/2006 8:39:22 AM PDT by luthers_inkwell

At http://www.no-lobbyists-as-such.com/florian-mueller-blog/ballmer-linux/ we're reminded that Microsoft wants Linux dead. Ballmer is once again making noise about patents.

Unfortunately, Microsoft likely does have patents it could use against Linux. IBM can probably be replied upon to fight back on the side of Linux with its own patents - supposedly they've called Microsoft patent bluffs in the past just by pointing out that they also have stacks of patents and idle lawyers ready to look for violations by Windows code. However, Microsoft might now be willing to risk the battle.

Microsoft is not in a happy place right now. Vista is delayed, and both Apple and Linux are gnawing at its toes. The increasing interest in virtualization and particularly in package/OS bundling like VMware Player is a bumpy road for Microsoft because of OS licensing. Microsoft doesn't want its OS sales pirated, but it doesn't want to miss out on that market either. Linux apps can be shipped with a free OS; Microsoft apps cannot.

(Excerpt) Read more at aplawrence.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: 01digital; 02deconstructionists; 40yroldvirgin; bestofgoldeneagle; copyleftists; cybercommunists; ethernetegalitarian; linux; microsoft; modemmaoists; modemmarxists; tech; unixutilitarian; vmware; worstofgoldeniggle
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1 posted on 04/05/2006 8:39:27 AM PDT by luthers_inkwell
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To: luthers_inkwell; ShadowAce

Please put this, and me, in the techping.


2 posted on 04/05/2006 8:40:45 AM PDT by luthers_inkwell
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To: luthers_inkwell
Interesting story about why Paul Allen distanced himself from Gates and Ballmer.

Bottom line: while he was working himself to death on DOS 2.0 and battling Hodgkin's disease, the two Steves were more concerned about how to steal his shares back if he died than they were about keeping him alive.

My apologies for linking to PBS.

3 posted on 04/05/2006 8:50:48 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Islam Factoid:After forcing young girls to watch his men execute their fathers, Muhammad raped them.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Um, the "Two Steves" is an Apple thing and Allen had nothing to do with that.


4 posted on 04/05/2006 8:55:14 AM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: luthers_inkwell
Vista is delayed

..a polite way of putting it...

5 posted on 04/05/2006 9:03:16 AM PDT by WalterSkinner ( ..when there is any conflict between God and Caesar -- guess who loses?)
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To: luthers_inkwell; N3WBI3
I will add you to the ping list--however, I am in class today and will not be able to ping the list until this evening (9:00pm or so...)

N3WBI3, perhaps this may qualify as an OSS Ping? I haven't actually read the article yet, but it my have some tengential application here.

6 posted on 04/05/2006 9:14:24 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: ShadowAce

s/tengential/tangential/


7 posted on 04/05/2006 9:16:02 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: N3WBI3; ShadowAce; Tribune7; frogjerk; Salo; LTCJ; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; amigatec; Fractal Trader; ..

OSS Ping in shadows absence


8 posted on 04/05/2006 9:21:30 AM PDT by N3WBI3 (If SCO wants to go fishing they should buy a permit and find a lake like the rest of us..)
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To: luthers_inkwell

Software patents only make the lawyers rich and hurt the consumer and small developer.


9 posted on 04/05/2006 9:21:37 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: luthers_inkwell
Microsoft will have to worry about the Open Invention Network if they want to get into patent wars. The only people who stand to benefit from this are the lawyers.
10 posted on 04/05/2006 9:27:08 AM PDT by Todd_Gray
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To: luthers_inkwell
Microsoft doesn't want its OS sales pirated, but it doesn't want to miss out on that market either. Linux apps can be shipped with a free OS

This is where I have seen savings using OSS software and now other operating systems like the free Solaris. I can run my test and development environments for almost nothing compared to a windows environment because with applications like Asterisk on Linux you pay the 2K in licensing and support on production but in test and dev I am running on some of the server hardware which was greened out last year on a free version of each...

11 posted on 04/05/2006 9:28:45 AM PDT by N3WBI3 (If SCO wants to go fishing they should buy a permit and find a lake like the rest of us..)
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To: N3WBI3

As I understand it (from TWITcasts), there is a kind of Mutual Assured Destruction standoff regarding patents, as Microsoft, Apple and Linux (IBM, etc.) all hold patents violated by the others.

Can Microsoft really be that desperate about their Vista troubles?

Is Vista facing a far greater delay than is currently acknowledged?

Will Ballmer blow another gasket and throw a f***ing chair at someone?



Stay tuned.


12 posted on 04/05/2006 9:31:54 AM PDT by Petronski (I love Cyborg!)
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To: Petronski
Can Microsoft really be that desperate about their Vista troubles?

According some blogs I was reading last week by/for microsofties, desperation might be an apropriate response.

 Is Vista facing a far greater delay than is currently acknowledged?

That's what they were saying. If it ships when they say, it won't be ready for prime time.

Even when it does ship, the hardware requirements are pretty steep. It's gonna be interesting. 

13 posted on 04/05/2006 9:46:09 AM PDT by zeugma (Anybody who says XP is more secure than OS X or Linux has been licking toads.)
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To: zeugma

No comment on Ballmer throwing a f***ing chair?


LOL


14 posted on 04/05/2006 9:57:31 AM PDT by Petronski (I love Cyborg!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
What's intersting about that story is how Cringley states:
But during one of those last long nights of working to finish-up DOS 2.0, something happened. I have heard this story from two people, each of whom was a friend of Allen’s and in a position to know. Each told me the same story the same way. I am not staking my reputation on the accuracy of the story, but I am saying I have it from two good sources. Paul Allen certainly won’t confirm or deny it, so I’ll just throw it out for you to consider.
Isn't that the Dan Rather school of journalism? I can't prove it but I'll print it anyway. Then later on in the article he says:
My reason for bringing up this topic at this time is because it will all shortly be back in the news as Microsoft goes to court later this year in what might well be its last-ever anti-trust trial. Remember those 19 states and the District of Columbia that settled over time for software vouchers and promises from Microsoft to no longer do evil? Well only Iowa remains, represented by a lawyer from Des Moines named Roxanne Conlin whom I have met. Roxanne is not in any way impressed with Microsoft vouchers, no matter how many there are. Looking for real money for the people of Iowa, Ms. Conlin is about to dredge-up all this old news and put a new spin on it.
Roxanne Conlin (opensecrets.org), Democrat connected, trial laywer and PBS pushing stories about how bad and evil Bill Gates/Microsoft are?!?

I'm not a fan of Gates or his products but this just doesn't look right.

15 posted on 04/05/2006 10:03:54 AM PDT by Todd_Gray
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To: Spktyr
Um, the "Two Steves" is an Apple thing and Allen had nothing to do with that.

Oh yeah. The other guy's name is "Bill." I try not to think about him.

16 posted on 04/05/2006 10:13:41 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Islam Factoid:After forcing young girls to watch his men execute their fathers, Muhammad raped them.)
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To: Todd_Gray
I'm not a fan of Gates or his products but this just doesn't look right.

Personally, it never quite felt right to me the way Paul Allen disappeared from the MS picture.

This fits, and it fits with Bill Gate's diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome.

17 posted on 04/05/2006 10:15:33 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Islam Factoid:After forcing young girls to watch his men execute their fathers, Muhammad raped them.)
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To: luthers_inkwell
Apple just released software to make the Intel based Macs run Windows XP. Why would Microsoft want to attack a hardware OEM that supports their OS?
18 posted on 04/05/2006 10:22:33 AM PDT by Myrddin
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I agree and I'm not saying it's completely out of the realm of possibility. I'm just leary of the unknown sources. I'd rather hear it from Allen himself.

Hopefully he'll comment on it one way or the other now that the story is out there.


19 posted on 04/05/2006 10:24:23 AM PDT by Todd_Gray
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To: luthers_inkwell
Software patents will go down in history as one of the most monumental blunders of the 20th century.

Once again, the lawyers win.

20 posted on 04/05/2006 10:25:23 AM PDT by TChris ("Wake up, America. This is serious." - Ben Stein)
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