--Mark Shuttleworth
WHEN Microsoft gave its self-serving patch to Linux [1, 2, 3], it pretended to have done something generous, but as the next post will show, Microsoft merely violated the GPL and decided to correct this.
"To win the respect and trust of the Linux community, Microsoft should unequivocally disavow such conduct and pledge that its patents will never be used against Linux or other open source developers and users," Red Hat stated.
Microsoft however has a different opinion. Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel at Microsoft, has blogged his own response to Red Hat's call.
Red Hat's legal team has given a half-hearted pat on the back to Microsoft's open sourcing of Linux device drivers this week.
The observation of the Bible's James came to mind: "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing."
[...]
The spirit of Red Hat's comment--compete on the basis of technology and execution, not patent threats--is absolutely correct. But the course of action suggested by Red Hat's legal team for Microsoft is a double standard that no company or individual should follow.
While applauding Microsoft's contribution of code to the Linux community this week, Red Hat nonetheless urged its rival to pledge that it will never use its patents against Linux.
Experts from The Register, Novell, Freeform Dynamics and Microsoft will provide their opinions, practical advice and answers to attendee questions throughout this hour-long event. Topics include:
# What are organisations adopting when it comes to Open Source and Proprietary software?
[...]
# Virtualization and flexible operations # Novell and Microsoft working together
Comments
zatoichi
2009-07-24 10:58:11
And no one is imputing Mother Teresa-like motives to Microsoft in this. As I've pointed out, they released the Hyper-V drivers because they had no alternative to doing so, that's clear.
However what all of you seem to be missing--even after I told you--is that open source (I don't think Greg is a "free software" guy, either) backed Microsoft into a corner and made it say "Uncle!" (Metaphorically speaking, of course; I'm not anthropomorphizing here, as people are very prone to doing on this site. Don't get confused.)
And there are stories about Mother Teresa, too.
Nemesis
2009-07-24 11:48:02
Mark S said that, but im very very sure the PEOPLE MS are getting to pay for the patents (they are using to make money with because of what it does).. THEY WOULD KNOW.
You think MS goes to a company and says "we have some patents so give up some money". You really think the world works like that.
Mark, and anyone else have to work out thats its NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, you are not the company doing deals with MS, you are not signing any cheques to them. They dont have to tell you SQUAT.
So to whine constantly about what businesses do (conducting business) all the time does not help your cause.
It's like you saying "oh dear, MS is selling software!!" . Yes, they are it's what they do. No one is holding a gun to your head to use MS, or its products, and no one expects MS to walk up and down your street yelling out loud, "just so you know we did some business deals today".
If you lose credibility from this level of 'reporting' no one will take any notice of you when you actually have something of value to report.
As for their "goodwill to obey the law" im sure MS could have re-written the offending code as opposed to release it. Again, reporting non-report worthy subjects greatly limits your influence.
7000 posts of rubbish not worth anything if they are false and misleading.
7 accurate, well researched, factual reports would be far better.
Needs Sunlight
2009-07-24 14:53:51
Yuhong Bao
2009-07-24 18:18:03