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[News] [Linux] Novell and Microsoft Get Defensive, Patents Turn Into a Messy Case of Disinformation

Patent Dispute May Reach Beyond Microsoft-Open Source

,----[ Quote ]
| Is Microsoft fighting a losing battle? That's the question posed by an
| op-ed piece in today's Los Angeles Times. Maybe so, the writer concludes...
| 
| As the LA Times piece points out, whether Microsoft litigates the issues
| or not, the patent dispute with open source may well result in even 
| fewer patent restrictions industry-wide than currently exist. But
| given that the trend toward open source and open standards shows
| no signs of slacking, that's not necessarily bad.
`----

http://www.itbusinessedge.com/blogs/osb/?p=152

Publication of the Microsoft agreements

,----[ Quote ]
| A number of articles about the filings indicate incorrectly that
| we are excluding OpenOffice from the covenant not to sue under 
| the patent cooperation agreement. That's not the case. This
| confusion likely stems from language in the agreements around a
| "grandfather clause" for certain products. The covenants Microsoft
| and Novell make to each other's customers relate to 'Covered Products.'
| Some products with certain characteristics - known as 'Excluded
| Products' - do not qualify as Covered Products, and thus are not
| covered by these covenants. Certain products available before
| November 2, 2006, however, are automatically covered under these
| covenants, regardless of whether or not they have the 
| characteristics of an 'Excluded Product'. The reference in the
| patent cooperation agreement to OpenOffice simply means that it 
| does not qualify for this automatic coverage. It does not mean 
| it is not covered by the covenants. As we jointly stated with 
| Microsoft in November, OpenOffice is covered under the patent 
| cooperation agreement. 
`----

http://www.novell.com/prblogs/?p=344

Rumour from a very notorious journalist (mouthpiece?):

Novell won't be punished for Microsoft deal - source

,----[ Quote ]
| A foundation that owns rights to much of the code behind Linux
| software has decided not to carry out threats to punish Novell 
| Inc. over a deal with Microsoft Corp, a person familiar with the
| matter said.
`----

http://www.ndtvprofit.com/homepage/news.asp?id=300758

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