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Another Reason Why FAT32 / VFAT Needs to Die
,----[ Quote]
| In addition to being an out-of-date filesystem which Microsoft is suing
| companies over left and right, FAT has some other serious limitations, one of
| which is a 4GB file size limit. I'm sure at some point, Bill Gates said "4GB
| ought to be enough for anybody." ;) Other filesystems which are similarly
| limited include HFS and ReiserFS.
`----
http://blog.ibeentoubuntu.com/2009/04/another-reason-why-fat32-vfat-needs-to.html
Top Microsoft strategist highlights a change in IP policy
,----[ Quote ]
| Novell, as Phelps highlights and which CNET recently noted, is an exception
| to this rule, having approached Microsoft.
|
| As with Novell, Phelps routinely neglects to mention facts that might cast
| Microsoft's IP actions in anything less than a warm and glowing light. For
| instance, he talks up Microsoft's generous decision to share 30,000 pages of
| technical documentation, conveniently forgetting to mention that the action
| was spurred by its desire to get out from under the European Commission's
| antitrust eye. (It didn't quite work.)
|
| [...]
|
| The cheek Phelps uses here is breathtaking. First of all, he reiterates over
| and over throughout the book that Microsoft is a regular target for firms
| claiming Microsoft's technology violates their IP, suggesting that Microsoft
| may be the one with an IP problem, not open source, which has almost never
| been the subject of an IP-infringement lawsuit.
|
| Except those funded (or started, as in TomTom) by Microsoft, of course, as
| SCO's failed suit against Novell appears to have been. In other words, this
| pitch-black Microsoft pot is calling a nearly lily-white kettle black, even
| as it attempts to smear the kettle with black paint.
|
| This is galling in the extreme.
|
| Ironically, Phelps suggests that the open-source charm offensive was all
| about providing interoperability to customers, but then declares two pages
| later that IP license agreements "wouldn't solve the interoperability
| problem." Well, of course not. But then, it's not really about
| interoperability. Patents are not critical to interoperability, as
| Microsoft's deal with Red Hat demonstrates.
|
| [...]
|
| In other words, the old Microsoft seemed to be doing quite well before Phelps
| made it an active patent tax collector.
`----
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10215905-16.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1001_3-0-5
Recent:
TomTom & Microsoft each file notices of dismissal "without prejudice"
,----[ Quote ]
| 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."
`----
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
Related:
Sun exec accuses Microsoft of 'patent terrorism'
,----[ Quote ]
| The efforts of Microsoft to pressure the Linux community over alleged and
| unspecified patents is akin to "patent terrorism", according to a local
| executive for Sun Microsystems.
`----
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Sun-exec-accuses-Microsoft-of-patent-terrorism-/0,130061733,339280437,00.htm
Microsoft, the art of Corporate Terrorism.
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft, no longer the technological leader in the Computer Desktop
| market, is taking on a terrorist role in its attempt remain in power
| at all costs. (see the link to the CNN story below)
|
| The tactic is intended to frighten current, and would be, free
| software users away from products that Microsoft just can't compete
| with. It's not a new tactic, but for the first time desperation is
| beginning to show.
`----
http://sweetcomputing.com/index.php?wiki=Microsoft_Terrorism
Convicted Monopolist Terrorizes Software Industry
,----[ Quote ]
| That headline is designed to grab your attention. Sensationalistic as
| it may be, it also happens to be true, if what you mean by 'terrorize'
| is to provoke fear.
|
| If you've been following the presidential race in the United States,
| you know the present crop of candidates have been exploiting the fear
| of the American people as they never have before in the history of
| the country.
`----
http://www.linux.org/news/opinion/ms_threats.html
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