Mary Jo Foley

Mary Jo Foley

Contributor

Mary Jo Foley has covered the tech industry for 30 years for a variety of publications, including ZDNet, eWeek, and Baseline. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons,… 2008). She also is the co-host of the "Windows Weekly" podcast on the TWiT network. Got a tip? Send her an email with your rants, rumors, tips, and tattles. Confidentiality guaranteed.

Freelance journalist/blogger Mary Jo Foley has nothing to disclose. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). I do not own Microsoft stock or stock in any of its partners or competitors. I have done paid speaking engagements for Microsoft and some of its partners, but none where all the content is not my own.

Latest from Mary Jo Foley

The meat of the Microsoft-Novell deal is in the patents

The most meaty part of the November 2 cooperative-technology deal between Microsoft and Novell is also the hardest to understand: The patent portion.

November 2, 2006 by Mary Jo Foley in Legal

Novell publishes details on its Microsoft patent deal

Novell has posted to the Securites and Exchange Commission (SEC) Web site redacted versions of the company's patent, business and technology agreements with Microsoft, which it signed in November 2006. Anything juicy make it past the "redcated due to confidentialty" edits?

May 26, 2007 by Mary Jo Foley in Legal

More on Microsoft's need to show (if it can) Linux's patent infringement

My blogging colleague (and ZDNet editorial director) David Berlind sent me an interesting follow-up note on my call for Microsoft to show proof that Linux is infringing on Windows patents -- as Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer alleged last week.

November 19, 2006 by Mary Jo Foley in Legal

Microsoft inks patent deal with service provider using Linux servers

Microsoft's latest patent licensing deal isn't like its recent Android/Chrome OS arrangements. It is with a service provider running Linux boxes in its own datacenters.

July 24, 2012 by Mary Jo Foley in Legal

Add Sharp to the list of Microsoft exFAT licensees

Sharp is the latest company to agree to license Microsoft's exFAT file system. Microsoft wants to be sure you know there's an Android connection.

August 7, 2012 by Mary Jo Foley in Legal

Microsoft signs Android patent deal with Motorola Solutions

Motorola Solutions is the latest company to sign a patent-licensing deal with Microsoft covering devices that run Android and Chrome OS.

April 21, 2014 by Mary Jo Foley in Legal

Bill Gates seeks patent for ad-rebate program

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and a Microsoft researcher applied for a patent in March 2006 for a advertising system that would use customer points to confirm transactions. Think of it as a frequent-flyer-reward style system involving advertisers and consumers.

August 22, 2007 by Mary Jo Foley in Legal