Monday rolls around and the first thing I have to deal with is more of Microsoft’s crap. The software giant wants open-source software users to fork over money in the form of royalties. Why? Because Microsoft owns 235 patents that are apparently being infringed upon. From the Linux kernel to KDE and GNOME interfaces, it seems almost everyone has infringed on some kind of patent. Open Office, e-mail clients, and plenty of other applications out there are being targeted as well.
Microsoft is gearing up for a big legal battle over the infringement and it doesn’t look pretty. Companies that already deal with Microsoft regarding Linux will be left out of the legal battle. Novell, Samsung, and Dell will all be able to sit back and not have charges brought against them. We’ll keep an eye on this to see how it goes. The last thing anyone wants is Microsoft taking everything away from us.
Microsoft demands royalties for open-source software [Yahoo! News]
Yeah! And Apple wants $1 for each trash can (read: “recycle bin”) on each Windows desktop.
its awesome how microsoft keeps shooting itself in the foot concerning community building. I use linux at work and bought vista at home, also am considering to buy windows home server (looks like an awesome product) when it comes out but after reading this crap…
Um, I’d rather have a company that actually made or brought forth the technology those patents protect enforce it than patent holding firms that just snatch them up or create them for the hell of it try to cash in on them.
If MS has legitemate reasons for wanting to do so, I say let them. They’re certainly not the first to want to try this and they certainly won’t be the last. Remember, Apple has their stash of patents and legal attack dogs as well.
More than likely, nothing will come of this. The open source community has already stepped forward and said that any infringing code or features will be removed upon request.
From a business point of view, this would be a justified move if the open source
community was profiting from said infringements. However, it isn’t. This is basically
equivalent to ripping your own CD’s to listen to on your computer or audio player.