Comments

• gnufreex

  2010-08-14 13:15:26

  Microsoft sued Salesforce over .NET patents. but Salesforce in fact uses Java, not .NET. Press release also mentions "OS patents" and Salesforce uses RHEL. But most patents in that suit was over ridiculous GUI and menu display techniques.
  
  As this madness goes on, I am more and more in favor of ideas like open source patent trolling companies. Accumulate patents and go after proprietary companies, until they become advocates for abolishing patents. Only way to convince them that patents are evil is to use patent to do evil to them.
  
  There is no better defense than obvious offense. In fact, GPL was born as hack on copyright law, when Stallman realized that companies are going to copyright everything.
  
  I think DPL patent pool is nice idea of patent copyleft.

• Dr. Roy Schestowitz

  2010-08-14 13:20:16

  Press release also mentions "OS patents" and Salesforce uses RHEL.

  
  
  The way the PR was phrased (with context) makes it just a remote possibility that Red Hat was the target. I had a long discussion with Müller over this (he insisted that Linux was impacted).

• gnufreex

  2010-08-14 14:15:33

  I am not completely sure if it affects Linux, because Microsoft looks to put Linux in every deal, even if licensee never heard of it. But mention of "OS patens" imply bad things, since Salesforce don't have it's own OS and it only uses RHEL on servers, and maybe Windows on desktops.
  
  Then there's amazon deal which is clearly against Red Hat...
  
  I think that lawsuit (against Microsoft) for slandering title or tortious interference would be good move to make 'em talk or shut up forever. But Red Hat is reluctant to do that...
  
  EU lobbying wouldn't help either, because Europe can't police against patent bullying in the US.

• Dr. Roy Schestowitz

  2010-08-14 14:50:27

  See how OS patents are mentioned. I can't recall the exact phrasing in the press release, but it leaves room for doubt. It's something like "based on the better patents portfolio on x, y, x, and OS..."

• gnufreex

  2010-08-14 16:15:21

  You're right. Very vague. Typical FUD:
  
  "Although the contents of the agreement have not been disclosed, Microsoft indicated that it is being compensated by Salesforce.com based on the strength of Microsoft’s leading patent portfolio in the areas of operating systems, cloud services and customer relationship management software. "
  
  http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/aug10/08-04sfcpr.mspx