05.19.07
Microsoft Patent Claims Have Just Been Invalidated, Rubbished
Well, isn’t that wonderful news? As it stands, everything that Microsoft has claimed might end up totally annulled. Todd Bishop has the scoop, which is discussed further in Groklaw.
In basic terms, as Moglen explained to the online audience, the new version of the license would make Microsoft subject to the GPL, because of its distribution of Novell Suse Enterprise Linux coupons. Under the language of the license, Microsoft would then be prevented from pursuing patent claims against the broader Linux community. Not just Novell’s Linux users would be protected.
This is news indeed. Todd Bishop has the story. Eben Moglen is saying that the SUSE vouchers Microsoft is distributing have no expiration date! I didn’t know this. It’s huge. This is, according to Moglen’s remarks, another defense to any patent infringement claim by Microsoft, and it may well bring that campaign to a screeching halt.
Highlight: Novell was the first to acknowledge that Microsoft FUD tactics had substance. Novell then used anti-Linux FUD to market itself. 
Highlight: Xandros let Microsoft make patent claims and brag about (paid-for) OOXML support. 
Highlight: Linspire's CEO not only fell into Microsoft arms, but he also assisted the company's attack on GNU/Linux. 
Highlight: Microsoft craves pseudo (proprietary) standards and gets its way using proxies and influence which it buys. 
Highlight: The invasion into the open source world is intended to leave Linux companies neglected, due to financial incentives from Microsoft. 
Analysis: Xen, an open source hypervisor, possibly fell victim to Microsoft's aggressive (and stealthy) acquisition-by-proxy strategy.
shane said,
May 19, 2007 at 10:24 am
Eben Moglen is my hero.
(how many times have I written that?)
Roy Schestowitz said,
May 19, 2007 at 10:56 am
http://boycottnovell.com/2006/11/19/eben-moglen-is-my-hero/
shane said,
May 19, 2007 at 11:00 am
Further from Groklaw:
No wonder, as Moglen puts it, Microsoft has been tossing the vouchers wholesale out of airplanes “as though the coupons themselves were hot, as indeed they are”. But now here comes Moglen saying even that won’t work, because of the lack of an expiration date on the vouchers. And so, as the sun sets over the horizon, we may be bidding a fond farewell to Microsoft’s patent bullying. I hope some friendly folks have bought a voucher. If so, you might just want to take a breather before you turn it in, huh? Then it’s buh-bye to Microsoft’s 235 patent claims, methinks. So nice of Microsoft to distribute under GPLv3. Hugs and kisses.
Welcome to the community Microsoft!
And, credit where it is due - Stafford Masie called it.