Groklaw takes a short journey into the past. It attempts to show that Microsoft's strategy against Linux is merely a repetition of something which we have seen before. The article talks about Microsoft royalties for unwanted Xenix code. Here is a fragment of interest:

So for those who are puzzling over Microsoft's motives in doing the latest patent deals, might it be as simple as that, that Microsoft wants to be paid for all products on the market, force competing products to cost more, and to control the competition?

Folks are, after all, agreeing to pay royalties on "Something in Linux" that they claim they don't know about specifically but which might or might not infringe Microsoft patents which might or might not be valid and to accept terms of control. I'd talk about the interoperability agreements, but "Microsoft" and "interoperability" don't really belong in the same sentence.

Microsoft is not stupid. It has a clear plan. The strategy: using unsubstantiated libel to insinuate that those choosing or using Linux have a debt and do something unethical. Stand up against those who took Microsoft's money, which required that they offer credence to this libel. Boycott Linspire, Xandros, and Novell.