06.05.07

^{Gemini version available ♊︎}

The Usual Suspects, The Game

Posted in Antitrust, Corel, Deals, Deception, Humour, IBM, Intellectual Monopoly, Law, Microsoft, Novell, SCO, SUN, UNIX, Xandros at 1:24 am by Shane Coyle

As a follow-up to a previous train of thought, regarding the Usual Suspects (so to speak) in Microsoft’s intellectual property saga, I thought it would be fun to review just some of the players who have had a role – recurring, walk-on, or otherwise.

Actually, to make this more engaging, this will be our first contest on the site, I believe. Put the following events in chronological order, the first correct answer in the comments section gets a coupon, redeemable for a free download of EDU-Nix Dual-Mode CD, or our very own SueMe Linux ("still in early development stages", ie vaporware).

Caldera buys, then becomes SCO
MS and Sun make a deal, in which all OOO installs prior to the deal were absolved, as was Sun’s StarOffice going forward, from MS IP claims.
Corel acquires Wordperfect from Novell
Corel invests in Xandros
SCO sued IBM for who knows what, the story changes often.
MS and Sun took a Unix license from SCO Update June 6: Sun also took out a Linux right-to-use license for their end users
Caldera acquired DR-Dos from Novell, allegedly promising to sue MS but not mention Novell’s involvement.
SCO tried to impose a right-to-use license on Linux users
Novell claims ownership of IP SCO using to extort Linux users
MS makes a deal with Novell in which Novell agrees to pay ongoing royalties based on open source software shipped under the agreement in exchange for a right-to-use license (covenant not to sue) for Novell customers.
Caldera Sues MS over DR-DOS
Novell sells some unix rights to SCO
Novell Sues MS over WordPerfect
MS makes a deal with Xandros
Sun sues MS over their Java implementation
MS makes a deal with Novell for Novell to pull out of EU antitrust suit
Corel pledges to implement OOXML in Wordperfect

Of course, this is almost certainly a woefully incomplete, and perhaps even wholly inaccurate (hey, it’s late and I’m working from memory) listing of just some of the events in recent software industry history involving our friends from Redmond, meant mainly as a fun exercise and a conversation starter…

What did I miss? What did I mess up? And, what does it all mean? Tawk amungst yaselves…

Share in other sites/networks: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Permalink Mail Send this to a friend

ᶃ Gemini Space

Below is a Web proxy. We recommend getting a Gemini client/browser.

Black/white/grey bullet button This post is also available in Gemini over at this address (requires a Gemini client/browser to open).

✐ Cross-references

Black/white/grey bullet button Pages that cross-reference this one, if any exist, are listed below or will be listed below over time.

▢ Respond and Discuss

Black/white/grey bullet button If you liked this post, consider subscribing to the RSS feed or join us now at the IRC channels.

6 Comments

Alan Polinsky said,

June 7, 2007 at 1:10 pm

I don’t believe that Corel invested in Xandros. Quoting from Dr. Frederick Berenstein, (http://linux.sys-con.com/read/44559_p.htm)

“Xandros originally came from the acquisition of the former Corel Linux Business Division by a group of investors called Linux Global Partners. That took place in 2001…”
shane said,

June 7, 2007 at 1:35 pm

Hmmm. I was working off of Stephe’s entry, but I can check into that I am sure…

“By putting a framework in place to share intellectual property, ….” There is no “sharing” happening today. A quick search of the USPTO database reveals the number of patents with “assignee name” of Xandros: ZERO. The number of patents with an “assignee name” of Microsoft: 6776. The number of patents with an “assignee name” of Corel (one of Xandros investors): 40. It might be interesting to know what rights Xandros had to Corel patents, and what rights they may have just cross licensed, but that’s Corel’s problem.

Thanks for the information, I’ll update once I can confirm/deny… it still doesn’t say Corel didn’t invest in them, just where they descend from. MS invests in many spinoffs of themselves…
shane said,

June 7, 2007 at 1:53 pm

That didn’t take long, lookie here:

Who owns Xandros?

Linux Global Partners provided the initial equity financing for Xandros. Other stockholders include Corel Corporation and vested employees.
Roy Schestowitz said,

June 7, 2007 at 3:20 pm

Just follow the money and see who is serving who.
Roy Schestowitz said,

June 7, 2007 at 3:47 pm

Just caught this quote which Groklaw considers to be funny:

“Under the third version of the General Public License, expected to be published in final form this month by the Free Software Foundation, all such deals that were not inked by March 28 are forbidden. As a result, it would appear that Xandros will not be allowed to distribute open source code licensed under GPLv3 because of its relationship with Microsoft. Typaldos [Xandros CEO] said he’s not concerned. “If you are a businessperson, you can’t worry about every eventuality.”

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199901347

So, maybe business prospects are not truly a priority here.
Roy Schestowitz said,

June 8, 2007 at 2:53 am

Here is another one from the news:

“Microsoft and LG have been partners since 2004.”

http://www.linux-watch.com/news/NS2623312779.html

Well, well, well. The pieces are slowly falling into place, but what about Samsung and Fuji-Xerox?

What Else is New

Apple 'Porn' Filter

Guest post by Ryan Farmer: Apple and US State Governments Developing System to Require People to Report Themselves for Watching Porn.
3.5 Years Later Gemini Protocol and Geminispace Are Still 100% Community-Controlled

Community-centric alternatives to the World Wide Web have gained traction; one of them, Gemini Protocol, continues to grow in 2023 and we're pleased to report progress and expansion
Windows Falls to 16% Market Share in India (It was 97% in 2009), Microsoft Layoffs Reach India Too

This month’s picture from the world’s most populous nation does not look good for Microsoft (it looks good for GNU/Linux); anonymous rumour mills online say that Microsoft isn’t moving to India but is actually firing staff based in India, so it’s a case of shrinking, not offshoring. When even low-paid (much lower salaries) staff is discarded it means things are very gloomy.
Links 22/03/2023: GNOME 44 “Kuala Lumpur”

Links for the day
Microsoft Has Also Infiltrated the OSI's Board of Directors After Rigged Elections

Weeks ago we warned that this would happen and for the third or fourth time in 2 years the OSI’s election process broke down; today the Open Source Initiative (OSI) writes: “The polls just closed, the results are in. Congratulations to the returning directors Aeva Black…” (Microsoft employee)
Links 22/03/2023: Official Thunderbird Podcast Starts

Links for the day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, March 21, 2023

IRC logs for Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Many More Microsoft Layoffs Later Today

Yesterday we shared rumours about Microsoft layoffs being planned for later today (there were 3 waves of layoffs so far this year). There are several more people here who say the same. How much noise will Microsoft make in the “media” in order to distract? Will the chaffbot "ChatGPT" help create enough chaff?
Links 21/03/2023: JDK 20 and GNOME 43.5

Links for the day
Germany's Lobbyists-Infested Government Sponsors the War on Ukraine via the European Patent Office (EPO)

The chief UPC ‘judge’ is basically seeking to break the law (and violate constitutions, conventions etc.) to start a kangaroo court while dodging real courts, just like Vladimir Putin does
[Meme] The Meme That Team UPC (the Collusion to Break the European Laws, for Profit) Threats to Sue Us For

António Campinos and Team UPC are intimidating people who simply point out that the Unified Patent Court (UPC) is illegal and Klaus Grabinksi, shown above, strives to head a de facto kangaroo court in violation of constitutions and conventions (the UK does not and cannot ratify; Ireland hasn’t even held a referendum on the matter)
Microsoft is Sacking People Every Month This Year, Even Managers (While Sponsored Media Produces Endless Chatbot Chaff)

Lots of Microsoft layoffs lately and so-called ‘journalists’ aren’t reporting these; they’re too busy running sponsored puff pieces for Microsoft, usually fluff along the “hey hi” (AI) theme
3 Months Late Sirius 'Open Source' Finally Deletes Us From the Fraudulent 'Meet the Team' Page (But Still Lists Many People Who Left Years Ago!)

Amid fraud investigations the management of Sirius ‘Open Source’ finally removed our names from its “Meet the Team” page (months late); but it left in the page about half a dozen people who left the company years ago, so it’s just lying to its clients about the current situation
Amid Fraud at Sirius 'Open Source' CEO Deletes His Recent (This Month) Past With the Company

Not only did the Sirius ‘Open Source’ CEO purge all mentions of Sirius from his Microsoft LinkedIn account; he’s racing against the clock as crimes quickly become a legal liability
Web Survey Shows Microsoft Falling Below 15% Market Share in Africa, Only One Minuscule African Nation Has Windows Majority

A Web survey that measured Microsoft Windows at 97% in Africa (back in 2010) says that Windows has become rather small and insignificant; the Microsoft-sponsored mainstream media seems to be ignoring this completely, quite likely by intention...
Rumours of More Microsoft Layoffs Tomorrow (Including Managers!), Probably Azure Again (Many Azure Layoffs Every Year Since 2020)

Amazon is laying off AWS staff and Microsoft has been laying off Azure staff for 3 years already, including this year, so it seems like the “clown computing” bubble is finally bursting
[Meme] EPO's Management Brainstorm

The story behind a misleading slogan told above
The Photo Ops Festival of the Funky President António Campinos and Revolt From the Patent Examiners Whom He Perpetually Oppresses

European Patents are being granted for no reason other than application and renewal fees, awarding European monopolies to companies that aren't even European (only about a third are actually European); staff of the EPO is fed up as it regards or views all this as an extreme departure from the EPO's mission (and it's also outright illegal)
Links 21/03/2023: Trisquel GNU/Linux 11.0 LTS

Links for the day
Back Doors Proponent Microsoft Infiltrates Panels That Write the Security Regulations, Press Fails to Point Out the Obvious

Cult tactics and classic entryism serve Microsoft again, stacking the panels and basically writing policy (CISA). As an associate explained it, citing this new example, Stanford “neglects to point out the obvious fact that Microsoft is writing its own regulations.”
IRC Proceedings: Monday, March 20, 2023

IRC logs for Monday, March 20, 2023
Links 20/03/2023: Curl 8.0.0/1 and CloudStack 4.18.0.0 LTS

Links for the day
Standard Life (Phoenix Group Holdings): Three Weeks to Merely Start Investigating Pension Fraud (and Only After Repeated Reminders From the Fraud's Victims)

As the phonecall above hopefully shows (or further elucidates), Standard Life leaves customers in a Kafkaesque situation, bouncing them from one person to another person without actually progressing on a fraud investigation
Standard Life Paper Mills in Edinburgh

Standard Life is issuing official-looking financial papers for companies that then use that paperwork to embezzle staff
Pension Fraud Investigation Not a High Priority in Standard Life (Phoenix Group Holdings)

The 'Open Source' company where I worked for nearly 12 years embezzled its staff; despite knowing that employees were subjected to fraud in Standard Life's name, it doesn't seem like Standard Life has bothered to investigate (it has been a fortnight already; no progress is reported by management at Standard Life)
Links 20/03/2023: Tails 5.11 and EasyOS 5.1.1

Links for the day
Links 20/03/2023: Amazon Linux 2023 and Linux Kernel 6.3 RC3

Links for the day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, March 19, 2023

IRC logs for Sunday, March 19, 2023
An Update on Sirius 'Open Source' Pensiongate: It's Looking Worse Than Ever

It's starting to look more and more like pension providers in the UK, including some very major and large ones, are aiding criminals who steal money from their workers under the guise of "pensions"
Services and Users TRApped in Telescreen-Running Apps

TRApp, term that lends its name to this article, is short for "Telescreen-Running App". It sounds just like "trap". Any similarity is not purely coincidental.