While Microsoft is hoping to enter into a patent deal with Red Hat similar to the one it has with Novell, the software giant has not ruled out going it alone and providing some sort of indemnification for its customers who use Red Hat Linux. Bill Hilf, Microsoft's general manager of platform strategy, acknowledged that it is an awkward situation having Microsoft's customers who use Novell's SUSE Linux covered by the covenant not to sue, while those Windows users running Red Hat Linux are not.
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Member since:2005-11-11
//MS failed in getting people to believe that Linux was evil and would cost more. So now they are trying the legal angle to rope in as many unwitting Linux companies as they can. ... I am beginning to think that all the Mono bashing was true. It might be completely patent free but there is enough doubt to get companies to scramble to cover themselves from FUD.//
There is one very interesting aspect to the latest anti-Linux FUD attempts from Microsoft. That aspect is that Microsoft seem to be talking about "respecting IP" and "IP protection" and "patents", but Microsoft are very careful to only imply never accuse Linux of infringing any Microsoft patents.
Even when they make these vague and indirect accusations, the most notable thing about them is the lack of specifics. Microsoft has not identified any single patent which Linux is accused of violating. Not one.
Microsoft's older "TCO" and other nonsense type FUD at least wasn't vague. Wrong yes, vague no.
Member since:
2005-11-12
I agree with you. MS failed in getting people to believe that Linux was evil and would cost more. So now they are trying the legal angle to rope in as many unwitting Linux companies as they can. The aftermath of this situation is not good. So Linux companies which are free and some which are under MS' thumb. I am beginning to think that all the Mono bashing was true. It might be completely patent free but there is enough doubt to get companies to scramble to cover themselves from FUD.