MESSAGE
| DATE | 2010-11-28 |
| FROM | From: "Ron Guerin"
|
| SUBJECT | Re: [NYLXS - HANGOUT] "Novell also plans to sell some intellectual
|
Ruben Safir wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 08:20:00PM -0500, Paul Robert Marino wrote:
>
>> Although there is a silver lining in this. > If Microsoft goes
>> the SCO route with litigation it would rais an intresting conflict
>> between software patent law and anti trust law that in the passt
>> has always been worked around by breaking up a company >
>>
>
>
> EXCELLENT point. The thing is that MS just isn't as selfdetructive as
> SCO.
>
>
My two cents is that all of this is true (including previous comments
about BSD being in the same boat as Linux), except that Linux is
regarded as a serious competitor by Microsoft (moreso than Apple
apparently), BSD not, and Unix much less so than before. BSD will be
vulnerable in the same ways Linux is, but it's probably just too
insignificant for Microsoft to bother caring about.
In the meantime, we still don't know which patents, or much about this
"Microsoft-organized consortium", but it's probably harmless, more of a
defensive patent pool than anything else. Novell has after all, in the
past, managed to extract some significant sums from Microsoft
infringements. They're just as afraid of Novell's patents as we are of
them acquiring those patents.
At the end of the day, the problem continues to be not someone's
specific patents, but that software patents are granted to anyone for
any reason.
And I'll add to Ruben's remark, in that Microsoft originally provided
SCO with significant assistance, .... until Darl McBride started
blabbing about it in the press. Microsoft then had nothing to do with
SCO. They're many things in Redmond, but not suicidal. Microsoft won't
be caught anywhere near Son of SCO. Microsoft's whole schtick is FUD
and publicizing sucker licensing deals whereby Microsoft finds a sucker
who'll pay them, or receive other consideration, or at least endure the
embarrassment of being seen accepting a license to use Linux.
- Ron
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