[tlug] LETTER FROM LINSPIRE FOUNDER

["Tribble Phillip J SrA 374 LRS/LGRTT" <Phillip.Tribble@example.com>]

Will 235 Microsoft Patents Hobble Linux? 

by Kevin Carmony

May 14th, 2007 

This week, Microsoft laid out the next chapter in their plans regarding
patents and open source Linux software, by going public with the claim
that Linux infringes on some 235 of their software patents
<http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/05/28/10003
3867/index.htm> . The first chapter in this story began back in November
of last year, when Microsoft entered into a agreement with Novell. The
agreement included technical collaboration between Microsoft and Novell,
in an effort to bring better interoperability between MS Windows and
Linux. However, as I pointed out at the time
<http://www.linspire.com/linspire_letter_archives.php?id=36> , the main
thrust of this agreement was really about patents and was Microsoft's
way of trying to monetize any success Linux might have. Since this time,
Dell too has entered the playing field
<http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6181766.html> , by announcing its
plans to begin offering Novell's Linux products which include a promise
from Microsoft not to sue users over any infrigements of Microsoft's
alleged IP. 

[For the rest of the article, click the link below. -Listmaster]

http://www.linspire.com/linspire_letter_archives.php?id=45