Why We Focus on the EPO and IBM So Much
Many "last days" today. As an associate puts it: "Any word yet on what kind of non-disparagement clauses IBM is forcing fired workers to sign in order to keep their severance pay? I presume there is also a non-disclosure 'agreement' piggybacked onto that, too."
IBM had long been the #1 patenting entity. For decades. Many decades. Not just in the US. That of course changed in more recent years, as Korean and Chinese companies grew larger (Samsung for instance), set aside Japanese firms that habitually made it through to the top 10 or top 5.
IBM is very feeble these days, probably too feeble to be counted alongside GAFAM (figosdev thought we should say GIAFAM so as to include IBM, but neither Intel nor IBM would deserve a place, nor would Oracle, and Facebook has rebranded as "Meta" since Julian Assange and I coined the term "GAFAM"; a lot has changed, but this one acronym really caught on).
IBM now owns Red Hat. The company Red Hat (which is basically just IBM, months ago the bluewashing was being finalised or formalised) has far too much control over too many critical projects - to the point it can sink rivals or even sink its own projects (like some GNU projects, X, and so on). We must keep a watchful, careful eye on what IBM does.
Regarding the EPO, we've covered scandals there for many years and fought off/away SLAPPs whose intention was to discourage honest inquiry. We're still here to tell the story of what's happening inside the Office, defying the pressure and bullying from this "Mafia".
The harder they push back, the more eager we become to say more about the topics which they deem a taboo.
More than 2 decades ago Microsoft funded and directed people to 'sue Linux' (via SCO). Last winter someone helped a person from Microsoft sue me for stating facts. Why would I put up with that? █
"...Microsoft wished to promote SCO and its pending lawsuit against IBM and the Linux operating system. But Microsoft did not want to be seen as attacking IBM or Linux."
-Larry Goldfarb, BayStar, key investor in SCO approached by Microsoft
"On the same day that CA blasted SCO, Open Source evangelist Eric Raymond revealed a leaked email from SCO's strategic consultant Mike Anderer to their management. The email details how, surprise surprise, Microsoft has arranged virtually all of SCO's financing, hiding behind intermediaries like Baystar Capital."