"I'd put the Linux phenomenon really as threat No. 1."

--Steve Ballmer, 2001

Summary: Samsung signs a patent deal with the world's biggest patent troll, Intellectual Ventures (which serves Microsoft's agenda)

Earlier today we wrote about HTC feeding the vultures of Intellectual Ventures, which is somewhat of a Microsoft spinoff and also the world's biggest patent troll. It's rather mysterious and we suspect that HTC did not join voluntarily, so maybe it happened after threat of litigation, even by proxy (Intellectual Ventures always sues through one of its 1,000+ satellites). Both Microsoft and Intellectual Ventures use attack dogs to distance themselves from the negative publicity associated with lawsuits. Why did Microsoft and Gates want Intellectual Ventures created in the first place? The founder too came from Microsoft. Perhaps Microsoft can use such a proxy to repeatedly extort companies and elevate the price of its competition, which is gratis under conditions where software patents are not valid.

According to this new report, Samsung decides to "Partner Up With Intellectual Ventures":

In a move to help steer clear of any more legal trouble, HTC and Samsung have entered into a partnership with Intellectual Ventures to use over 30,000 software patents in their phones, and in Samsung’s case, a myriad of other devices. This is especially handy for HTC who’s faced nothing but legal trouble since they spearheaded the Android movement back in 2008.

HTC sold out to Microsoft some months ago and then signed an Intellectual Ventures deal; Samsung too follows this path, having surrendered to Microsoft without even a fight (in 2007), deciding to pay Microsoft for Linux. Samsung could possibly join the OIN instead of joining the Microsoft racket, but Microsoft and Samsung have resemblances and a long history together (as partners). As shown in the very recent conversation below (full log to be published later), our contributor gnufreex has some ideas about the purpose of OIN and CPTN, which we will write about tomorrow. ⬆

gnufreex	(by reading his comments on TR and drawing parallel with "Evangelism is War" document"	Nov 27 19:41
gnufreex	He says things that are outrageous now.	Nov 27 19:41
gnufreex	But serve his purpose	Nov 27 19:41
gnufreex	Then when something happens, he pulls of spin	Nov 27 19:41
gnufreex	To say "I told you so"	Nov 27 19:42
gnufreex	And we know MS does things that help evangelism	Nov 27 19:42
gnufreex	of MSFT	Nov 27 19:42
schestowitz	patents...	Nov 27 19:43
gnufreex	Yeah. I am thinking. We know about Red Hat secret deal	Nov 27 19:43
gnufreex	So now MSFT has CPTN	Nov 27 19:43
gnufreex	CPTN might sue Red Hat	Nov 27 19:43
schestowitz	With what?	Nov 27 19:44
schestowitz	And why?	Nov 27 19:44
gnufreex	And then it goes:	Nov 27 19:44
gnufreex	They already signed a deal	Nov 27 19:44
gnufreex	once	Nov 27 19:44
gnufreex	under NDA	Nov 27 19:44
gnufreex	"So they are already dirty"	Nov 27 19:44
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[tekk/@tekk] hey, there are some users: !gettsajobs and !gettsascreenerjobs, if you don't feel like having them here feel free to flag like I did		Nov 27 19:44
gnufreex	Maybe they wont do that yet...	Nov 27 19:45
gnufreex	But FM's attacks on OIN show that MSFT is scared of OIN	Nov 27 19:45
gnufreex	So they want it out of the way. If they use CPTN, they have OIN out of the way.	Nov 27 19:45
gnufreex	OIN can't sue CPTN	Nov 27 19:45
gnufreex	And OIN can't sue MSFT for what CPTN do.	Nov 27 19:46
schestowitz	Microsoft has IV	Nov 27 19:46
schestowitz	Patent aggregators	Nov 27 19:46
gnufreex	CPTN It is like Microsoft's OIN	Nov 27 19:46
schestowitz	Not sure...	Nov 27 19:47
schestowitz	But wait, what about the other trolls	Nov 27 19:47
gnufreex	Except CPTN will be aggressive, of course.	Nov 27 19:47
schestowitz	CPTN has advantage over IV?	Nov 27 19:47
schestowitz	IV doesn't want to be seen as suing directly	Nov 27 19:48
gnufreex	Yeah.	Nov 27 19:48
gnufreex	I don't know why, they are already seen as troll	Nov 27 19:48
schestowitz	They are	Nov 27 19:48
schestowitz	In some sense	Nov 27 19:49
schestowitz	they are connected to Microsoft only	Nov 27 19:49
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[robmyers/@robmyers] Err how did I get porn spam on Facebook? I don't recall opting in to that new feature...		Nov 27 19:49
gnufreex	It is funny that Bill gates doesn't get mentioned on IV site.	Nov 27 19:50
gnufreex	Only Nathan the troll.	Nov 27 19:50
gnufreex	BG is investor, i think	Nov 27 19:50
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[lxoliva/@lxoliva] â™» @coltem: kernel libre is a necessity for all free people		Nov 27 19:51
schestowitz	He's a BBF of Nathan	Nov 27 19:52
schestowitz	And Gates has his own patent shell too	Nov 27 19:52
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[mrdenticator/@mrdenticator] Yesterday top #statustician is reality with 116 dents!		Nov 27 19:52
schestowitz	He lets Nahan run the bigger racket	Nov 27 19:53
schestowitz	And Gates Foundation markets Nathan's patents	Nov 27 19:53