08.20.11
Gemini version available ♊︎The ‘Licensing’ FUD Against Android (Leading Back to Microsoft)
Summary: The new trend of copyrights-related Android FUD and the expected commonality shared by sources of this FUD
IT IS not unusual to see Bradley Kuhn complaining about Black Duck and OpenLogic, which both have strong ties linking them to Microsoft and a business model of spreading Free software fear. OpenLogic recently got a shot in the arm to help it promote ‘cloud’ computing (or “Fog Computing”, to avoid the euphemisms) [1, 2]. Black Duck is meanwhile releasing more proprietary stuff (may be patent-encumbered too) just while it’s seen issuing new FUD, this time against Android. We have seen that before, even from OpenLogic, and of course it comes from Microsoft’s booster Jon Brodkin who gives exposure to this FUD in IDG. Going under the daunting headline “Android developers face legal hurdles in license compliance”:
While Google’s Android is offered under the Apache and GPL licenses, the mobile operating system has components referencing 19 open source licenses overall, Black Duck Software executive Peter Vescuso told an audience at LinuxCon here.
Just like former Microsoft lawyers, the FUD against Android licensing just doesn’t stop. The FUD against Android comes from several directions and behind them we usually find the same suspect, Microsoft. There is also obligatory Android FUD from iPhone fan Mac Asay, who almost accepted a job at Microsoft (by his own admission). █