10.22.07
(At Least) 3 Generations of Microsoft Anti-Linux Lawsuits, by Proxy
The perfect crime is one that goes undetected
Let’s look at the evolution of legal actions against Linux. Interestingly, Microsoft is always involved, but later the company is surprised to find that Linux users do not trust it.
It’s time for truth to be told. Here are some key cases, among a few more.
Generation One – MInix
Several years ago, Microsoft used a sophisticated money-funneling channel to stimulate bitterness and motivate lawsuits against Linux. Thew creator of Minix tells the story.
Andrew S Tanenbaum: A couple of years ago this guy called Ken Brown wrote a book saying that Linus stole Linux from me, from Minix, and therefore the intellectual property rights are unclear and therefore companies shouldn’t use Linux because I might sue them.
It later came out that Microsoft had paid him to do this — and I defended Linus. I wrote on my Web site saying that this guy Brown came through, visited me and I gave him the [correct] story.
Generation Two – SCO
Here is the ‘smoking gun’ evidence showing the connection between SCO (via BayStar) and Microsoft.
According to the Declaration, Richard Emerson was not the only Microsoft employee Goldfarb was dealing with in connection with the BayStar investment in SCO. He mentions by name two others, from two other departments.
We all know the rest of the SCO story.
Generation Three – Acacia?
So, Acacia recently attacked Linux using a couple of lawsuits. Acacia denies it’s an attack on open source and Microsoft denies connections with Acacia. BayStar, among other parties, are beginning to make it quite apparent that all fingers should be pointing at Microsoft’s piles o’ cash though.
Generation X?
Already spotted is another possible (future) proxies. It’s within some people’s range of sight.
Linus Torvalds still believes that if his kernel is the best one, it will also win. As he said in an interview that was published earlier today, “I’d rather just worry about the technology. The market will take care of itself.” Evidently, as shown above, the market does not take care of itself. Linus must be fully aware of all the forces that are aligned against his kernel. It’s not down just to technical merits when various parties pass money around and play dirty.
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