Microsoft Offers Further Open Source Patent Threats

  • October 9, 2007
  • 1 minute read
Again Microsoft is trying to bully open source distributions and projects to buy into their patent protection that Novell has already sank money into. Microsoft Offers Further Open Source Patent Threats – An anonymous reader writes “Via Groklaw comes comments from Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer at a UK event, in which the company once again threatens Linux distributions that haven’t signed up with their program. ‘”People who use Red Hat, at least with respect to our intellectual property, in a sense have an obligation to compensate us,” Ballmer said last week … Ballmer praised Novell at the UK event for valuing intellectual property, and suggested that open source vendors will be forced to strike similar deals with other patent holders. He predicted that firms like Eolas will soon come after open source vendors or users. Microsoft paid $521m to settle a patent claim by Eolas in August.'” Read more of this story at Slashdot. [Slasdot]

Again Microsoft is trying to bully open source distributions and projects to buy into their patent protection that Novell has already sank money into.

Microsoft Offers Further Open Source Patent Threats – An anonymous reader writes “Via Groklaw comes comments from Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer at a UK event, in which the company once again threatens Linux distributions that haven’t signed up with their program. ‘”People who use Red Hat, at least with respect to our intellectual property, in a sense have an obligation to compensate us,” Ballmer said last week … Ballmer praised Novell at the UK event for valuing intellectual property, and suggested that open source vendors will be forced to strike similar deals with other patent holders. He predicted that firms like Eolas will soon come after open source vendors or users. Microsoft paid $521m to settle a patent claim by Eolas in August.'”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

[Slasdot]


Did you like this article?


0 Shares:
Share 0
Tweet 0
Share 0
Share 0
— Previous article

Fluxbox-1.0 released!

Next article —

Slashdot's CmdrTaco Looks Back at 10 Years of 'News for Nerds'

You May Also Like

Dell Refuses to Sell Ubuntu to Business

  • by
  • June 20, 2007
Dell has only been offering Ubuntu for over a month now. I haven't heard all that much in regards to their Support, I wonder if Microsoft is giving dell $$ to not Support Ubuntu on computers sold for Home Office/Business purposes?
Dell Refuses to Sell Ubuntu to Business - An anonymous reader writes "I had a surreal experience with Dell today. My boss asked me to order a new computer for our small, non-profit business. Wanting to support Dell in their decision to sell computers with Ubuntu installed, I decided to order one. First, I talked to a small business representative, who informed me that I could not order one of the Ubuntu-based computers through the small business department. I had to go through the "home and home office" department. I called the Home office department. I asked the representative if I could buy one of the ubuntu computers for my company. She said (and I quote), "these Dell computers are designed for personal use only, as long as you use it for personal use, you can purchase one." So I lied and said I would.... Next, I tried to buy it on our business credit card. They would have none of that. She told me that I had to buy it through a personal card. Now, as a non-profit, our business does not pay sales tax (10% in Tennessee). Had I bought it with my own card, I would have had to pay tax (~$90), which my company would not have reimbursed me for. So.....no Dell today."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

 [Slasdot]
Read More

Goverment Employee uses On Call IT firm to destroy Goverment data

  • by
  • December 3, 2007
A Goverment Employee used an On Call IT service to perform a "seven level" format on his hard drive that possibly contained federal evidence.
Scott Bloch runs the Office of Special Counsel, an agency charged with protecting government whistleblowers and enforcing a ban on federal employees engaging in partisan political activity.
Read More