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Steve Ballmer Hints Microsoft May Use Its Software Patents Against Linux

no-lobbyists-as-such.com — In an interview with Forbes, Steve Ballmer says that Microsoft may use its patent against Linux. Microsoft previously said Linux users face IP risks, but this is the first time for Microsoft to say that Microsoft itself might start legal action against Linux.

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  • Furiou5, on 10/12/2007, -3/+29"In an interview with Forbes, Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer stops short of announcing patent litigation against Linux:"

    kind of a stretch, and i pray it never happens.
    • yoshu, on 10/12/2007, -3/+32I think I will start worrying about this when I see some actual lawsuits filed. But when that happens I probably still won't be worried. If M$ does sue, and actually wins, I would be amazed, but I don't think I'll be worried either. Linux is just too big and flexible to be stopped. If it was just one company, yes they would probably already be out of business or a M$ subsidiary by now, but it's not.
    • forgetfulca, on 10/12/2007, -2/+25I think I will start worrying about this when I see the last *nix websites disappear from the web.

      A long time ago, something called the Halloween Documents (iirc) warned microsoft that they'd have a hard time fighting the phenomenon called linux. (and I use linux to include all the various flavors, as well as the tools/programs that come with each disty.) They meant that the embrace/extend/extinguish approach wouldn't work, and the reason it wouldn't is that linux is too diverse.

      Who on earth would MS take to court? 300 million developers worldwide? I mean, I know the *AA are trying to litigate everyone to death (to the eternal joy of lawyers everywhere, I'm sure) but does anyone seriously think you can quash a grassroots, made from scratch thing such as this? It's fud, even if Ballmer MEANT to imply it.
    • Petronski, on 10/12/2007, -11/+98He won't sue. He'll just throw a ***** chair at them and do an absurd mouth-breathing gorilla-anger dance.
    • JimXugle, on 10/12/2007, -5/+27Screw Microsoft. We have something they dont... Millions of Geeks around the world who can power their attack helicopters with Linux.
    • cyrix, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11Well...they'll say it's justified and get the majority of America to rally behind them if they do and fight off another red scare.

      Because you know "Linux is communism."
    • tempusrob, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13"If M$ does sue, and actually wins, I would be amazed"

      They don't have to win. Look at the SCO case. Crock of ***** that it is, it's enough to put PHB's in a tizzy about Linux adoption. A MS suit would only multiply that.
    • drizek, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8I found out about Linux after reading an interview with torvalds about the SCO case.

      Any publicity is good publicity...
    • agimat, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4If that happens they'd probably not care about the geeks who will still use Linux. It will be the companies that use linux that will be more concerned.
    • drizek, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9Thats true, but MS cant survive without geeks.

      All this crap does is just hurt their image in fornt of their own supporters.
    • koshak, on 10/12/2007, -22/+6yoshu...did you just come up with that $ thing yourself! That is SO clever. I hope more people do that. That'll really show them! Because unlike other companies like Apple, Microsot only wants MONEY! Steve Jobs wants to make the world a better place. But all M$ wants is money!
    • koshak, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3drizek..are you kidding? MS's main customer base is the AVERAGE user. They are the ONLY computer (software) company that would survive without geek support.
    • KCorax, on 10/12/2007, -7/+8developers developers developers developers developers developers...
      lawyers lawyers lawyers lawyers lawyers lawyers...
    • lava, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Linux can fight back: http://www.ubergeek.tv/article.php?pid=54
    • alexandreracine, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Well, these are US patent, so since I don't live there, I am ok :)
    • kaczus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Good thing I live in europe... Software patents was one of the biggest mistakes of USA from small company/customers point of view. There are enough distros and developers worldwide to keep GNU/Linux alive but I do hope that some day software patents in US will be no more.
  • fyngyrz, on 10/12/2007, -6/+25I expect linux would just sliiiiide underground. After all, it doesn't have to make a profit. We can copy our linux disks and distribute them all we want, and no one will be the wiser. And in the process, we can make Microsoft subject to the same kind of hate that the youth of today direct towards the RIAA.

    I really don't think this would be a very smart move on the part of Microsoft. Oh, wait. That means they'll probably do it...

    • mythz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I think Microsoft would care more about corporate customers choosing Linux and Opensource databases rather than hackers using Linux for their own personal use.
  • Vogateer, on 10/12/2007, -4/+36Here's another take:

    Business people look at Linux as an alternative to Windows. Microsoft, not too fond of losing customers and money, and typically possessing far better business strategy than code, decides to spread the usual FUD to make any business owner afraid that Linux companies will get sued. If the Linux company gets sued, will they be able to provide proper support? Will we switch to Linux, only to be stuck with an operating system that is found to be illegal, and be forced to switch again? Business owner is afraid to choose Linux, Microsoft is happy, and Ballmer looks for more ways to spread more FUD.

    Much like the SCO thing, people would be more than happy to jump in and replace the offending code, people like me who can't code but like Linux will donate and do what we can for the effort, and the world keeps spinning 'round.
    • xagoln, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Governments, councils, and increasingly the US military are switching to Linux. I find it hard to believe that they can stop it now with a patent or two.
  • Vogateer, on 10/12/2007, -4/+16Oh yeah, also notice that Ballmer is merely spreading hearsay, with something straight out of bad journalism: "Other people are saying such and such." By phrasing it this way, he can suggest something and try to make it stick in people's heads, without actually being held responsible for having said it. If he actually said "Linux is infringing on our patents," he might have to back it up. He doesn't, because he doesn't want to back it up.
    • TuxFan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Sounds like Steve has been watching Fox News too much. "A lot of people are saying....."
  • xedeon, on 10/12/2007, -10/+18Ohh man I frickin HATE Steve Ballmer!! I seriously think he is the one who is effing up Microsoft the guy is not even a real geek!! he may be smart but all he think about is how to make MONEY!! he does not care about home consumers and INNOVATION, and Bills Gates should fire him and take complete control geez.. He is the one who came up with the Vista multiple SKU's (editions)

    Thank god I switched to a Mac! now I don't have to deal with his crap..
    • Sabot, on 10/12/2007, -7/+16I think Steve Ballmer represents Microsoft perfectly. He stands for everything that Microsoft is about and the image that he projects is right on target. What a sad world we live in. I can't wait for the revolution that is going to come.
    • daza, on 10/12/2007, -7/+8@ xedeon;
      I can bet you that if Microsoft started (only) caring about home consumers and innovation, Microsoft would collapse.

      How can you expect a business to not have their #1 priority to be money? And how can you hate them for this?
    • burke, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7I agree that businesses have to be primarily about money to succeed, but IMO, Microsoft is a prime of a corporation that gives exactly zero ***** about their customers. Try to pay attention and find evidence to the contrary. It's much harder than it should be. Businesses should be primarily about money, not solely about money.
    • NicP, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8"How can you expect a business to not have their #1 priority to be money? And how can you hate them for this?"

      The problem is once a company starts putting all their effort into maxamising profits with complete disrespect for their customers, the customers become hostile, seek alternatives, and the money starts to dry up.

      Managing a company is not just about making the most money, it about presenting the company and its products in a positive light, showing the compay has room for growth for the shareholders. Good public relations now leads to more money down the track later.
    • xedeon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@daza

      You can still focus on making profits as a business without sacrificing customers & Innovation and don't you think with all of their resources they should at least hire decent UI designers and developers? heck they can hire the best programmers money can buy, all I am saying is Steve Ballmer has no business ethics..
  • Milo_Hoffman, on 10/12/2007, -8/+29News Flash!!

    You can't USE a patent against Linux.



    The Linux community will just code around any patent you have. Simple as that.


    Plus, there is no "Linux" company, person, or entity that you could sue anyway... Sure, you could go after RedHat, you could go over IBM(haha good look with that army of lawers) but thats only one distribution control point out of hundreds or thousands.


    I say BRING IT ON, the publicity did wonders for SCO's stock(hint: 20-0 in a few months) lets see what it does to the Microsoft stock price too :)

    • kimastergeorge, on 10/12/2007, -5/+11Actually, Microsoft has patented the double-click, and other generic features that don't require just a code change, but an entire change of the way it works.
    • Flankk, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9Microsoft can, in fact, claim intellectual property violation against Linux. Though the community is vast and distributed, don't think for a second this makes Linux invincible from targeted, strategic lawsuits.

      One approach would be to claim the gnome task switcher violates Microsoft patents and is too similar to the Windows task switcher, etc. Strikes specifically against Red Hat and Novell would hurt the community significantly.

      I agree that there will always be forks and workarounds. However, using the previous example, imagine the Gnome project is forced to remove these features from Gnome. Fair enough, it'll just be removed in the next release. Also, every previous release of Gnome will be forced to be taken down, in every distribution, including all support. This is just one example.
    • tonyspencer, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10Well, not exactly the double-click, as Apple was using that way before MS.

      From: http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3364101

      >>Most experts agreed that, despite the use of the word "double-click" in the abstract, this is not, in fact, a patent on the double-click.

      "You can ascertain that just by reading the patent, which evidently a bunch of folks have not bothered to do," said Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg. "On most handheld devices, if you want to activate a second function, you have to activate a control or function key. And the Microsoft patent is using time intervals or pressing it several times to change the behavior of the key."
    • redDC143C, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4@Flankk

      "I agree that there will always be forks and workarounds. However, using the previous example, imagine the Gnome project is forced to remove these features from Gnome. Fair enough, it'll just be removed in the next release. Also, every previous release of Gnome will be forced to be taken down, in every distribution, including all support. This is just one example."

      You're forgetting precedence. Every distribution would NOT have to be taken down - only those copies which reside on U.S. territories. I'm taking a wild guess here, but, I'd estimate Linux usage around the globe versus that in just the U.S. alone would be somewhere between 60% and 80%. Hell, Novell isn't even an American company!

      The other thing is that it is not Red Hat or Novell that is really responsible for the violation (I'm not a lawyer so I really am talking out my ass, this is just my opinion). Linux, as with every other OS, is comprised of thousands of small programs all working together. The difference is that instead of one giant mega corp owning all those programs, with Linux, no one really "owns" them per se - most of them are GPL'd.

      Worst case scenario - Linux distro's get taken down on US servers until violating code is replaced, and possibly the original programmer is fined some penalty fee - if he/she can be found.
    • AdamCo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5I use single click on Linux.
    • burke, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4Yeah, Microsoft may or may not have patented the double-click, but I use a Gnome Desktop in Linux, and the last time I've double-clicked was when I was launched Counter-Strike in Windows this morning.
    • KCorax, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2"The Linux community will just code around any patent you have. Simple as that."

      Like they did with mp3 ?
    • olicat, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7@kcorax - not heard of ogg vorbis, then?
    • zagi1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@kimastergeorge
      I heared they didnt patent double-click, it was rejected by the patent office for being too absurd
  • anonymoustroll, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14> I say BRING IT ON

    fscking A! You can not fight that which does not exist!

    Now here's the real deal: Microsoft isn't afraid of Linux; Microsoft is afraid of companies that can market and sell Linux in the kind of volumes that will displace Microsoft operating systems from being the *CLEAR* market leader. Microsoft is afraid of losing access to companies that have annual IT CAP-EX budgets in 7, 8 and 9 figure ranges. Microsoft is afraid of companies like Novell, IBM, Red Hat, etc. and Microsoft will insure, by any means necessary, that these companies are not able to compete (or that if they are able to compete, their gains will fall to Microsoft). There is a real threat from Microsoft patent infringement law suits against companies selling Linux based solutions and the thing that should scare the living ***** out of anyone selling Linux solutions is that a template for infringement becomes established. Here's the scenario: Microsoft decides that too much of their enterprise level operating systems sales are falling to Linux based solutions and Microsoft decides to sue a vendor to make a point and establish president for their patent portfolio and rather than pick on a company that can defend itself, Microsoft sues a medium sized company selling Linux based solutions (small companies would just fold and settle, which isn't what Microsoft wants) and once a portfolio of infringement precedence has been established, Microsoft would then eat its way up and down the Linux solution food chain. That was SCO's biggest mistake (besides being wrong and filing a frivolous law suite): they sued the biggest motherfscker they could. Essentially SCO was being set up for failure with the primary goal of harassing the competition and buying Microsoft some time with the outside chance that they might actually win (believe it or not, the US justice system is largely a crap shoot).

    A Microsoft patent victory over "Linux" doesn't mean Linux would magically disappear off the face of the earth (that can never happen at this point in time)... it simply means that companies won't be able to compete with Microsoft using Linux based solutions.

    In short, a Microsoft intellectual property / patent defense law suit against one of the large vendors selling Linux as a solution that competes with Microsoft products is almost guaranteed to happen in the near future... and when it does, you can be assured the Linux is ready for the desktop.
  • eclectro, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10Wouldn't they sue Apple first? They are a bigger target and use a lot of the same technology as Linux.
    • Elsan, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7There's rumors of arrangement between Microsoft and Apple, often that one will not sue the other for this or that reason. I'm sure some of them are true. I don't know the scope or have any links but it most likely exists on some degree(Office for example). Heck, I even heard of Microsoft having invested in Apple.
    • babbling, on 10/12/2007, -12/+17Microsoft own a large portion of Apple.
    • Elranzer, on 10/12/2007, -6/+171. Microsoft doesn't view Apple as a threat
      2. Microsoft was caught stealing patented code from Apple before (hence Microsoft buying lots of Apple stock in 1997)
    • aeiou, on 10/12/2007, -4/+15Arg, I am really tired of this. Microsoft has no money in apple anymore. The only reason both sides don't sue the other is that they know that if they sue, the other side will just counter sue with something that that side has done.
    • alxdman, on 10/12/2007, -10/+5they wouldn't sue Apple considering Microsoft copied the whole desktop and windows and UI and mouse from Apple
  • jmccorm, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15If Microsoft does this, actually, it'll be a good thing. This is exactly the push we need to get some patent law reform done.
    • redDC143C, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4In no way, shape, or form can I see this ever possibly change the current patent/IP laws for the better.

      Microsoft has FAR too much money to spend on lawyers for any major precedent favoring the open source movement.
  • clevershark, on 10/12/2007, -7/+23Steve Ballmer is an ugly, ugly pustule on the posterior of information technology.
  • jeffgtr, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12A drowning man, flailing away, grasping at straws to stay afloat. This interview wreaks of desperation.
  • TTT_Travis, on 10/12/2007, -4/+13go ahead microsoft, it'll only hurt you more
  • bariswheel, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Ok I dugg this, but i also think it's a bit lame. If they were going to do this they would have done it a long time ago.
  • prockcore, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16I doubt it'll happen. Microsoft doesn't really want a bunch of IBM suits showing up at their door with a big list of patent violations.. which is exactly what will happen if MS goes after Linux.
    • Morky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Exactly. There is an unspoken "mutually assured destruction" (MAD for those of you who remember the Cold War) pact between the big patent holders. Nobody holds more patents than IBM, and Microsoft could find it self awash in patent violation cases if they choose to follow this tack.
  • flamingmb, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12what idiots. trying to control something they have no control over, and its good they dont.
  • TheNik, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7This could be really funny. :D
  • sl4x0r, on 10/12/2007, -6/+7"In the chapter Know Your Enemy, my forthcoming book No Lobbyists As Such - The War over Software Patents in the European Union (to be announced in detail on Tuesday) discusses the motivations on the part of certain large corporations to lobby for software patents."

    NO DIGG. OP is using digg to spam his book.
  • firehydra2k, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6Not telling me anything.

    "Well, I think there are experts who claim Linux violates our intellectual property. I’m not going to comment. But to the degree that that’s the case, of course we owe it to our shareholders to have a strategy. And when there is something interesting to say, you’ll be the first to hear it."

    Yeah, "not gonna comment." I'd like to see their master plans.

    Microsoft is entering a new phase of marketing where they are fighting against free software. If they can't assimilate to the new phase, then they're probably gonna go down in about a couple decades.
  • maxhrk, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4btw... Linux codebase and Microsoft codebase should be a different beast to begin with. To be honest, I HATE SOFTWARE PATENT PERIOD.

    WTF who allow those people to patent those damn software patents.
  • ToadX, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3If people are violating their intellectual property, they have every right to sue people in violation. Don't be mad at Microsoft. If anything, you should be angry at the current patent system.
    • ToadX, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1If people are violating their intellectual property, they have every right to sue people in violation. Don't be mad at Microsoft. If anything, you should be angry at the current patent system.
    • ToadX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Funny. No one likes my comment yet no one has any response to it. Don't like it because it's true?
  • Justice101, on 10/12/2007, -18/+2I would like this, Linux is too un-user friendly I would like to see a mix between the interface of OSX functionality of Windows and security of Linux.
    • TTT_Travis, on 10/12/2007, -6/+8well what you could do is just get a Mac since they have everything you described, since the mac functionality is better then windows anyway and macs are pretty darn secure too.
    • cyanidenfs, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3and how is that related to microsoft suing any linux vendor ?!
    • AeonTorpor, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4"un-user friendly"?????

      I'm sure you haven't considered that it may have something to do w/ the "un-user" being the unfriendly one.
    • fredinator, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4err... un-user friendly? linux is just as user friendly as windows, and i bet youve either never used it, or used it before KDE and GNOME
    • Jeremy82465, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Ive said it many times. All three have to be combined to make a great computer. Give me a linux kernal base, the apple desktop, and windows compatability with everything (which coincidentally is only because everyone uses it.)
    • zagi1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1And how do you suggest they do that, you live in a fantasy then, grow up.
      Free Software developers dont care about making a windows convert happy.
  • cavanaughphoto, on 10/12/2007, -9/+1If Microsoft somehow gains control of Linux then Linux turns into a turd as well.
  • sdigroup, on 10/12/2007, -8/+5Ballmer is such teh mamas boy...
  • mrfx, on 10/12/2007, -7/+5"News Flash!!"

    You can't USE a patent against Linux.


    yeah this is very dumb ....some people are just ***** idiots!
  • gwjc, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Groundless threats of litigation; cool, that sounds like the desperate last thrashes of a dying giant.
  • chadseld, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8His company can't ship Vista. But it can still unleash the lawyers. Lame way to hold back competition, but hey, Ballmer's karma is already down the tubes.
  • johnhummel, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Wouldn't work.

    Sun, IBM, and Novell have all "donated" patents to the Linux cause over the last few years. Why? Self defense. Should MS start this patent wars game, those three companies have just as many patents they coudl fire back against Microsoft. They've done it on purpose as a failsafe - MS can only do it if they want to commit legal suicide.

    Combine that with the monopoly committee going "Exqueeze me - but what?", and it would be over soon. Remember how MS's little undercovers have been supporting the SCO lawsuit (see financial transactions from MS individuals startup money to the major group investing in SCO), and how far that has gotten.

    It's just stuff for the stockholders on why they shouldn't worry about Vista being so late (again) while Apple goes from 4 to 5 percent, and server market getting gains from Linux.
  • VaKo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7Isn't sueing Linux kinda like having a fist fight with smoke?
  • Miniman, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3If you cant beat em, Sue em!
  • Tobey, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4God Ballmer is nuts. I don't know if I can believe anything he says. But if I don't believe him, I'm afraid he might throw a chair at my face.

    Developers developers developers developers...
  • MalDON, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Yea, this is only because they are realizing that Open source directly threatens them. And as more people find out that you can get an operating system for free...
    • maxhrk, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3It's probably because Novell taking advantage of Microsoft's delay by releasing SUSE 10th. That is probably why Ballmer is silently threatening with ligitation action.
  • Atomic1fire, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3microsoft just doesnt want compeditors becuase when you get competitors you cant do whatever you feel like anymore you actully have to make a fight remember this leason kids if you have competitors sue em and i dont suppose microripoff pattented the _ [] and x buttons on the top of your screeb omg sue meebo
  • matthamilton23, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2this is total *****
    microsoft wouldn't dare because then every body would protect linux
  • cazbar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9This won't happen. The reality of the flaws in the patent system will prevent this. Microsoft holds patents that IBM and Novell currently violate. IBM holds patents that Microsoft and Novell currently violate. Novell holds patents that Microsoft and IBM currently violate. And I'm not even going into what patents other companies hold. If any of them sued the others over patent violations they would all suddenly owe each other billions of dollars. The only people who would win are the lawyers.

    In some ways I wish this would happen as it would probably get congress to focus some attention on our screwed up patent office.
    • dragoonkain, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3Genius post Cazbar. I really don't think that anything is going to come out of this, and I really question the legitimacy of the OP's blog. I suppose time will tell, but somebody really needs to do something about that patent system.
  • jonjonblazezany, on 10/12/2007, -7/+0I'm not going to digg this cuz i think that suck if they do that lil man on a power trip again or should i digg it i dont know im new to this
  • loker269, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2my honest opinion is that if MS had anything they thought they could win they would have filed a patent dispute a long time ago....
    • addw, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2No - MS is waiting until it has pushed S/ware patents through in the EU. If MS sued now S/ware patents would never become part of EU law; MS needs s/ware patents in the EU.
  • bpinard, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4This will only get even more people to hate MS.
  • speel, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2gtfo .. Linus will throw a brick through his fat ass face.
  • c0r3file, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7If Microsoft sues everyone else out of existence, who will they then steal ideas from? I think this is mainly just posturing from MS's resident loudmouth.
  • MalDON, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6IMHO Balmer is not the best guy for the job. Gates was far better.
  • GhostFreeman, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Gates is still giving speeches in Colleges. He clearly dosen't want chairs thrown at him.
  • tyme, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3I'd love to know what patents the Linux kernel violates...
    • cyanidenfs, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4i only know/remember one. its about the fat32 filesystem.
    • drizek, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2I think MS patented the double click.

      Edit: although i dont think thats part of the kernel anyway...
  • tonyspencer, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Well. I'd like to see Ballmer try.

    BTW, Microsoft does not own a large portion of Apple. In 1997 MS bought $150m of non-voting Apple stock in a closed deal that settled the Look and Feel lawsuit (contrary to popular belief Apple didn't lose all the case - that's the reason why it's Recycle bin in Win not wastebasket) and to acquire access to Apple's colour technology. In return MS promised to continue development for Office for Mac and set up the Mac division. It certainly wasn't to bail them out - at the time Apple had over $1bn in cash in the bank.

    Microsoft has since sold all it's stock (last holdings got rid of 2 years ago) according to most accounts I can find.
    • mythz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It sure looks like a striking similar waste basket in Vista
  • Ribald_Jester, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3MS has already attached Linux - albeit indirectly through those jackals at SCO. And they've soundly lost. I just hope they don't continue this tact.
  • kaddy69, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3If microsoft sue's I will boycott their products. There is always another alternative. Right now I use both MS and open source.
  • timmarhy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5i think MS watched the SCo case very closely, hence the comment "we have a strategy". they clearly have already made plans and have a time line for when things are going to happen.

    i think they will definitely start suing end users SCO style, they will go after large EX customers first in an attempt to strong arm them into coming back into the fold, hoping to scare others from attempting to leave.

    this will all happen once MS loses a large enough market share, and i suspect it will happen when companys like dell sell pre installed linux in a major way.

    MS would have watched SCO's mistake of taking on IBM, and learned not to get into david vs goliath litigation. they will sue people who are unable to fight back. it will go hand in hand with a smear campaign.
    • ZachPruckowski, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6I think they'll move sooner than you suggest. MS is worried that Windows will go the way of IE - still the largest player by far, but not big enough that it's the only main consideration. Look at IE now with Firefox/Safari/Opera. IE has enough hold to be the largest browser by far (like 80% or something), but FF is large enough that people feel like they have to take it into consideration when doing stuff, causing a decline in the number of IE-only websites. If this happens with computer programs, and Linux and OS X get more apps ported or written natively, then Windows loses it's main advantage, just as IE mostly lost the big advantage of IE-only sites.
    • pussfeller, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0yep
    • cavicster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I agree with you. Even in their products, Microsoft's strategy seems to be wait for someone else to do it, learn from their mistakes, and then execute the plan which accomplishes the same thing. I think that they were happy to see SCO go first.

      I hope that this does not happen though.
  • EEBaum, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1This is why we can't have nice things.
  • jvin248, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3Simply squeals of a scared corporation.

    I switched to Linux because I got tired of the daily lockups and "blue screen of death" and the computer then telling me I needed to gently shut it down to avoid the disk re-check! A ground swell of consumers are getting more aggravated, worry about the potential OS monopoly, worry about spam and viruses, and are looking for alternatives.

    Inspired software will entice people to purchase (or donate) while "vinegar" will only strengthen their resolve. Even if Linux were not on the landscape there is that real and growing Apple OS threat. If the Linux movement was somehow shattered then even more would make the pilgrimage to Apple out of principle.

    Spend your time coding, not courting.

  • jpdalamar, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Xerox PARC should've patented everything. They could open up a can of whoop-ass on everybody.
  • GuineaPig, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5[1] IBM legal would have Microsoft for a snack. They were defending the largest patent portfolio on earth when Steveareno was still in diapers.

    [2] Convicted monopolists don't get to wipe out their main competition.
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