IBM, Microsoft and the great role reversal

This was in the 1980s, during the dance between OS/2 and Windows. (Remember the MicroChannel bus? Good times.)

It is amazing how completely those roles have reversed over the last 20 years and we got more evidence of it today with IBM, the number one patent holder for the 16th year running (4,186 last year alone) saying it would make more patents public.

The idea is to encourage open standards, assistant general counsel David Kappos said in a press release.

It's also about reducing patent abuse by others, and guides for the Patent Office while it's considering others' applications.

It is very hard to be snarky or cynical in the face of this. The Wall Street Journal notes 70% of this year's patents relate to service and software. Perhaps some might not hold up in re Bilski.

Fact is IBM is doing the right thing, and for the right reason. Would Nuance be drawing $175 million in capital if IBM were still closed about its patented technologies?

Meanwhile Microsoft continues rolling down the proprietary road. It's patenting stupid things, engaging in what one critic calls patent insanity.

Partly as a result, I think, Microsoft is the first outfit patent trolls think of when they file suit.

Just by way of information IBM was worth $112 billion at last count, Microsoft $167 billion. But had you parked $1,000 in each company 10 years ago, your IBM investment would be down by a tenth and your Microsoft investment by a half.

It reminds me of one of the very few Bugs Bunny cartoons where Elmer Fudd came up a winner.

It's called Hare Brush, and in it Elmer is an executive about to be indicted for tax fraud. He pretends to be a rabbit, while Bugs is hypnotized into believing he's Elmer. Bugs winds up taking the fall for Elmer's crimes.

"I may be a scwewy wabbit, but I'm not going to Alcatwaz!" says Elmer at the end, carrot in hand.

Or the poor house either.