Red Hat, Novell win verdict in Linux patent infringement case
Summary: More great news for Linux distributors Red Hat and Novell, which prevailed in a patent infringement case brought by IP Innovation.IP Innovation, a unit of Acacia Research and holder of multiple patent portfolios, alleged that the two Linux companies infringed three patents that protect computer GUIs that span multiple work sites and that allow users to access icons remotely, the court documents show.
More great news for Linux distributors Red Hat and Novell, which prevailed in a patent infringement case brought by IP Innovation.
IP Innovation, a unit of Acacia Research and holder of multiple patent portfolios, alleged that the two Linux companies infringed three patents that protect computer GUIs that span multiple work sites and that allow users to access icons remotely, the court documents show.
According to a report published by Bloomberg news, a jury in Marshall, Texas found that the patents in question were not valid and that neither Red Hat nor Novell were guilty of infringing on IP Innovation's intellectual property.
In a press release, Red Hat said it will "remain stalwart in resisting bogus shakedown tactics."
Novell recently celebrated the end of a copyright infringement lawsuit brought against it by SCO several years ago.
Now that the SCO and IP Innovation cases are disposed of, it anyone else want to take on Linux?
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Talkback
Judging by the recent MS/HTC ?agreement?
litigation, I have to concede such agreements may infact help the uptake
of Linux-based systems and for that I?m thankful... and yes; down with
flimsy software patent infringement claims against both Linux or
proprietary software.
Amen! Software patents are scraping the bottom of the barrel
RE: Red Hat, Novell win verdict in Linux patent infringement case
One big reason...
Sooo. Give us some examples. Or are you blowing smoke!
One big reason...amongst how many?
The Black Knight, fat ladies, and curtain calls
Not yet. SCOX has motions before the Court to set aside the jury verdict and to have the Court assign the copyrights to them anyway. Failing those, they'll appeal to the Tenth District.
100% correct!
Anyway, back to this case. (The same District Appeals Court would be involved, so that bit of history is relevant.):
Although there's no EVIDENCE to prove that large amounts of hidden Microsoft Money, above and beyond the $10M license payment, fund the continuing existence of Caldera/SCOX, it's really difficult to explain why the company has "attracted" sufficient investment to stay alive this long. Only an IDIOT would fail to suspect the support of Microsoft's war-chest of cash, in one way or another.
Perhaps such evidence is forthcoming, presented from a victimized Linux company as PLAINTIFF, in some future case. A lot of people say that they expect IBM to happily spend lots of cash, cash which they won't be able to recover via Court-awarded damages, in order to make a frightening example out of SCOX and it's executives (both current and former) -- sending a message to anyone else who might want to try this BS in the future. But there's no movement in this area yet, and it might never get pursued.
Expected results .....
It is kind of hard to give credit to somebody who patented somebody else's work years after the "innovation" was in use.
RE: Red Hat, Novell win verdict in Linux patent infringement case
First, IBM is one of MS's biggest users of Windows;
Second, this thread is about Red Hat, and Novell.
Can "we" keep on subject please?
Not that far off.
In the early days, M.S. was one of the largest opponents to software patents. That's because, at the time they didn't have very many. The tide has turned, and if it weren't for IBM and a few others, I bet they'd love pull out the patent trolls and $haft Linux. IBM was dumb for not buying Bill's OS outright when they had the chance, I don't think they're still that dumb... I could be wrong.
The last statement in the article is "...anyone else want to take on Linux" Sounds to me like this opens things up a bit... No?
IBM does not use MS software
IBM is no longer a major user of Microsoft software.
Do a search, you will find it.
Not True
desktop OS and Windows Servers are everywhere.
Employees who receive new notebooks are
receiving them with the IBM standard platform
which is XP. IBM has a huge internal Microsoft
Technology Group and builds Microsoft
Technology-based solutions for any customer
that asks for one. There are even widely used
financial applications deployed world-wide
based on .NET. Despite the grumbling of
management, these applications flourish. While
it seems logical that IBM would stop deploying
MS Office, it just ain't happening. Office is
everywhere and Symphony is the ugly stepchild
nobody wants.
Not true . . .
Not True....
RE: Red Hat, Novell win verdict in Linux patent infringement case
Windows desktops scarce at IBM
Scarce? Not really
desktops. Linux servers are very common as are
AIX. But Windows servers are still very much
present. IBM once thought they could rollout a
linux desktop to the masses of IBMers, but
intense user resistance could not be overcome.
I'm sure there's still a few execs that think
it might happen. Symphony is doing ok but is
not getting much respect. There are just an
endless stream of complaints about compatibility with MS products which is what
most customers use. Pressure is building from
the rank-and-file for Windows 7.
I Remember When...
-Peter Ronald Wexler
RE: Red Hat, Novell win verdict in Linux patent infringement case