Boycott Melco

Dr. Roy Schestowitz

2009-07-16 07:54:05 UTC
Modified: 2009-07-16 07:54:05 UTC

Summary: Microsoft again claims to be 'owning' Linux and Melco says "yes"

Microsoft's patent racket has just hit another company, which sold out to Microsoft without a fight, just like Novell. It pays Microsoft for Linux products. From Reuters:

Microsoft Corp. and Melco Holdings Inc., parent company of Buffalo Inc. and Buffalo Group (Melco Group), announced that they have entered into an agreement that will provide Melco Group's customers with patent coverage for their use of technologies running Linux and other related open source software. Specifically, the patent covenants apply to Buffalo-branded Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, which run Linux, and Buffalo-branded routers, which also run Linux. Although the contents of the agreement have not been disclosed, the parties indicate that the only financial consideration in this agreement is royalties paid by Melco Group to Microsoft.

This is about Microsoft being anti-competitive (see ECIS complaint [PDF] and full text), this time using software patents. It is safe to guess that Microsoft did not even name any patents. This is a form of extortion, so Microsoft has not changed one bit. ⬆

"Do you feel like you're screwing a porcupine and you're one prick against thousands?" the OSCON audience member asked Ramji. Ramji politely replied: "It takes time to change and I knew that I'd be unpopular when I took this job..."

--Microsoft: Not worried about open source patents

Comments

Eruaran

2009-07-16 08:38:00

This is a most blatant extortion racket.

Seldom have I been more disgusted that this corporation is not dragged into court and at the very least its CEO & top executives are made to feel the full force of the law in relation to such acts of extortion.

People are supposed to go to jail for extortion. But as long as you have corrupt cliques that like to wear labels like, "Department of Justice", it doesn't happen.

And what GNU/Linux using company will Microsoft seek to extort next ? Maybe Netgear ?

I wouldn't be surprised.
Michael

2009-07-16 14:20:24

Is this really any different from Google paying for the licensing rights for the codecs used in ffmpeg (e.g. for chrome, apparently) ...

It's done without any input (presumably) from the original authors of the code itself, and some of the money might even end up in m$'s pocket for that matter.

Roy Schestowitz

2009-07-16 14:24:42

Codecs are not Linux.
twitter

2009-07-16 15:16:20

The only thing these two have in common is that software patents are always an injustice. Google's licensing of a video codec is a lot different from M$ selectively shaking down small companies with never revealed patents. I have small and incomplete history of M$'s patent extortion and my own write up of this outrage in particular. Roy's summary is very good, M$ is asserting ownership of all GNU/Linux.

DiamondWakizashi

2009-07-16 15:39:46

Here is more info about the nasty Melco Holdings Inc.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melco

Products Manufactured by Melco:

* Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector * Buffalo network-attached storage series * External hard drive * HD DVD Computer Drive * AirStation (Residential gateway) * AOSS * Memory - SO-DIMM and DIMM * USB flash drive * UPnP Media Rendering Hardware

BOYCOTT MELCO !!!
DiamondWakizashi

2009-07-16 16:47:54

There should be a list of companies that must be boycotted and the products they make.

Roy Schestowitz

2009-07-16 16:52:34

Anyone can create such a page in our Wiki.

eet

2009-07-16 17:14:45

Don't forget to boycott all the machinery in hospitals that runs with unfree software or uses patented technology. Oh, wait, it keeps people alive...

eet

2009-07-18 02:35:05

Whenever a hospital chooses to make use of machines with non-free software is their own problem. They cannot have freedom with that choice and they are content with this. The only thing we can do for this situation is to educate about freedom and appeal to them to value their own freedom.

Dario

2009-07-17 15:01:13

i'd start boycotting trolls so they disapear

Boycott Melco

Comments

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