Linked by Thom Holwerda on Wed 18th Jul 2007 22:09 UTC, submitted by Kishe
Microsoft says software that's licensed under a new version of a popular open source license isn't covered by the patent protection deal it recently signed with desktop Linux distributor Linspire. In a posting on its Web site, Microsoft said the Linspire client software protected by the patent deal doesn't include any parts of the distribution that "comprise or include Foundry Products, Clone Products, GPLv3 Software, or Other Excluded Products." The document was published on July 5, three weeks after Microsoft struck a deal with Linspire through which Linspire's customers are indemnified against Microsoft's patent claims against Linux users.
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Member since:
2006-01-28
No is trying to subject Microsoft to the GPL3. All they have to do is never sell or release a version of Linux through coupons or in any other way that contains GPL3 software.
Just like Microsoft's own software, there will be a license attached to some software, which Microsoft can choose to release or not at their leisure.
But if they do release it, they will be bound by it as the GPL is a distribution license and pleading ignorance doesn't work for a corporation the size of Microsoft.