Microsoft lawyer Brad Smith, in an interview with Fortune said that Open Source violates over 235 patents. It said the Linux kernel itself violates around 42 Microsoft patents, while its UI and other elements around 65. The Open Office also violates 45, and 83 more by other Open source softwares. The allegations come as a surprise as Microsoft had lately signed a deal with Novell to work on bridging software between Windows and SuSe Linux.
No clues were given on how Microsoft would proceed with these findings, as the Open Source community has grown strong enough to defend their fort, Microsoft has to play safely. The Open Invention Network has been piling intellectual property, some of which could be used to counter attact Microsoft. The Network includes major players like Sony, Philips, NEC, IBM and Red Hat. They could virtually choke out Microsoft.
The violations are not a new discovery for the Open Source world, this was well identified a few years back, the community has been working towards eliminating the "evils of patents" and has been urging the developers to pool in the rights to the Open Source community for free use. In fact they have been forcing the developers to do so. The new GNU Pubic license in making, also includes clauses which would make the pacts like the one between Microsoft and Novell, virtually impossible, says sources.
courtsey: news.com.com
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Microsoft annoyed with Linux
Posted by Codevalley Labels: Linux, Micosoft, Novell, Open Source, patent
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1 comments:
I think microsoft is playing another game It looks like Lion circling a rhino. it should get interesting.would love to know how things turn at the end.
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