Linspire joins the Microsoft 'IP protection' racket
Summary: Beyond giving Microsoft more fuel for its claim that Linux and open-source software violates 235 of Microsoft's patents (which these Linux customers need patent-infringement protection against in order to maintain peace of mind), Linspire's newly inked patent-deal with Microsoft also furthers a number of other Microsoft goals.
Another week, another Linux vendor signs Microsoft's 'IP protection' clause, supposedly saving its customers from potential Microsoft patent-infringement lawsuits.
On June 14, Linspire -- the company Microsoft sued for use of the "Lindows" trademark a few years back -- signed a patent agreement with Microsoft. Linspire is the third Linux distro vendor (the other two being Novell and Xandros) to sign such a contract.
Beyond giving Microsoft more fuel for its claim that Linux and open-source software violates 235 of Microsoft's patents (which these Linux customers need patent-infringement protection against in order to maintain peace of mind), Linspire also furthers a number of other Microsoft goals with this deal:
* Linspire is joining with Novell and Microsoft to create more translators allowing Open Office to share documents with Office 2007. Because Microsoft has been dinged -- especially by government customers in the U.S. and abroad -- for its resistance to supporting Open Office ODF format, it has been working overtime to show how dedicated it is to Open XML-ODF interoperability.
* Linspire is making Live Search the default Web search engine in Linspire 5.0. Every little search deal helps, when you're trying to pull yourself out from a distant third place in search share.
* Linspire has licensed Microsoft TrueType fonts, "including Arial, Georgia®, Times New Roman and Verdana." However, as the fine press-release print notes, "Linspire customers only receive these three technologies (instant messaging, digital media and TrueType fonts) if they purchase a patent SKU. The technologies are not shipped with all Linspire 5.0 distributions."
My ZDNet blogging colleague Larry Dignan wonders whether Red Hat might be next to join Microsoft's patent-protection racket. I think Red Hat will continue to hold out from helping Microsoft plant more fear, uncertainty and doubt in the minds of customers who dare to use Linux alongside Windows. Do you think Red Hat will succumb?
Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.
Talkback
Linspire, Carmony, and ESR...
Kevin Carmony attempted to appear sympathetic to the community when Novell worked their legal obfuscation of the GPL. Apparently he has no backbone or compelling core values.
Now it appears, since he is now on Linspire's board, that ESR is firmly planted in the cathedral. The once respected ESR has shown us that he is nothing more than a out-spoken clown.
How does this affect Canonical(parent of Ubuntu)? They recently signed a deal with Linspire to give their users legal access to otherwise encumbered WMF formats.
The "Linux" companies which sign these deals are like a very destructive cancer on the community and they must be 'cut out'. Which is exactly how the community is reacting so far with regard to Novell and Xandros.
In my mind this goes well beyond MS FUD. I think this strategy on the part of MS constitutes anti-trust behavior. Too bad our government is bought and paid for by the likes of MS.
I think Torvalds will soon see the true implications of these destructive deals and he will move the kernel to GPL v3. Without the support of the community, these companies (Novell, Xandros, Linspire) will fail.
Stirring up Trouble with Titles?
As for the Racket, this does worry me. Microsoft is proving that apparently you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. The interesting thing is that they are not the least bit discreet with their efforts.
Message has been deleted.
Whoops
re: clicks
maybe you should have added...
And a title like that is guaranteed to bring the msft zealots faster than a fresh turd draws flies.
;-)
gnu/linux...giving choice to the neX(11)t generation.
Naw, the
She is just calling it what it is, a RACKET. Pretty obvious to anybody with
What motivates these companies?
2. Or, they are just plain stupid.
3. Or they take the much needed cash now and worry about going to trial later as it is unlikely that MS will prevail in court.
What do you guys think? I am leaning towards 1 or 3.
MS not so dumb
They want MS technology and products in Linux
They want Linux companies to depend on MS
A
You are thinking too small
2 Chance at getting some technologies that Linux needs
3 Making a deal with an adversary in order to bury to competition
4 Microsoft plays hell in the Court Room and companies do fear this.
5 MS is playing Good Cop, Bad Cop since the whole SCO fiasco.
6 Linux companies know that the way to victory is through partnerships, but they get confused as to who to partner with.
7 Perhaps by playing by Microsoft's rules, Linux thinks they can get more of a market share.
Uh, common sense would be my guess.
Yeah I know, its hard for an open source zealot to grasp that FOR PROFIT companies try to meet their customers needs instead of following the religion of Stallman...
Yes but alliances with Microsoft work so well
re: alliances
gnu/linux...giving choice to the neX(11)t generation.
IBM is very happy with their partnership with MS.
However you are right about one thing. IBM didn't have the strangle hold on MS they enjoyed with others and MS beat them at their own game.
Yea right, we can trust Microsoft for our interoperability needs. You are
Where the proof?
The US government should get in to this because it sounds like Microsoft is doing something dirty.
So whats stopping you?
Mary Jo, most biased "reporter" on the planet.
"Protection Racket" Gee Mary Jo, was it a "racket" when you signed up with ZDNet to carry your garbage?
Quite the contrary
Great job Mary Jo!
couldn't agree more!! nt