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Microsoft’s Open Source Strategy - I Think
,----[ Quote ]
| Since identifying open source as a threat 10 years ago Microsoft has
| consistently done two things: increased its patent portfolio, and gained
| revenue from licensing that portfolio to others.
|
| Microsoft has clearly decided that it cannot directly fight or defeat open
| source. But it can further increase license revenue by attacking users of
| open source with claims of IP infringement.
|
| Individual open source developers are too small to target with attacks such
| as this. But any large company using open source internally or in a product
| or service should be concerned by this. The open source movement as a whole
| needs to pay attention to IP issues.
|
| There are many people in the open source movement who hold a “we don’t
| believe in intellectual property” stance. They may, one day, find themselves
| sending a monthly payment to Microsoft for privilege of continuing to hold
| that belief.
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http://jamesdixon.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/microsofts-open-source-strategy-i-think/
TomTom/Microsoft: A Wake-Up Call for GPLv3 Migration
https://fossbazaar.org/content/tomtommicrosoft-wake-call-gplv3-migration
Recent:
Microsoft Vs. TomTom: Beating A Dead Horse
,----[ Quote ]
| So in the short term, Microsoft didn't gain very much by picking on TomTom.
| And in the long term, the company's decision to sue could explode in its
| face.
|
| TomTom may have stepped aside, but some much bigger and better-funded
| open-source players are now stepping up to the plate. The Open Invention
| Network, for example, is already pondering a counterattack that could include
| legal action designed to invalidate Microsoft's FAT patent.
`----
http://www.bmighty.com/blog/main/archives/2009/04/microsoft_vs_to.html
TomTom & Microsoft each file notices of dismissal "without prejudice"
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| Two notices of dismissal have been filed with the courts -- Microsoft's in
| Washington State, and TomTom's in Virginia, each dismissed without prejudice,
| ending both patent litigations. "Without prejudice" means that either could
| ramp it up and do this some more in the future, should circumstances arise
| that made it necessary. But in most cases, it means the litigation, or
| whatever, is over. Remember when SCO withdrew "without prejudice" its
| emergency motion to sell its assets, or Novell's assets, depending on your
| point of view? We never saw that again, did we, despite it being
| withdrawn "without prejudice".
`----
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20090402200704369
Analysis: Microsoft-TomTom settlement is end of a battle, not the war
,----[ Quote ]
| The Software Freedom Law Center, an organization focused on protecting
| open-source and free software, said in a statement that the "settlement
| between Microsoft and TomTom ends one phase of the community's response to
| Microsoft patent aggression and begins another. On the basis of the
| information we have, we have no reason to believe that TomTom's settlement
| agreement with Microsoft violates the license on the kernel, Linux, or any
| other free software used in its products. The settlement neither implies that
| Microsoft patents are valid nor that TomTom's products were or are
| infringing."
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http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9130832
TomTom - "Settled, But Not Over Yet" says SFLC
,----[ Quote ]
| There's more. Red Hat's legal eagles have put out a statement too, the meat
| of which is this: "Red Hat was not a party to this case. Even so, without a
| judicial decision, the settlement does not demonstrate that the claims of
| Microsoft were valid."
|
| In fact, SFLC says they believe they are invalid:
|
| The FAT filesystem patents on which Microsoft sued are now and have
| always been invalid patents in our professional opinion. SFLC remains
| committed to protecting the interests of our clients and the community.
| We will act forcefully to protect all users and developers of free
| software against further intimidation or interference from these patents.
|
| SFLC, working with the Open Invention Network and the Linux Foundation,
| is pleased to participate in a coordinated, carefully graduated response
| on behalf of all the community's members to ongoing anti-competitive
| Microsoft conduct. We believe in strength through unity, and we think our
| community's unity in the face of these threats has helped to bring about
| Microsoft's quick settlement on all issues with TomTom.
`----
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20090330181547642
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