MICROSOFT is trying to make it seem like Linux is expensive. Its chief racketeer, Horacio, advertises himself in a couple of press releases, the latter of which states: "Microsoft Corp. and ViewSonic Corp. have signed a patent agreement that provides broad coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio for ViewSonic’s tablets and mobile phones running the Android or Chrome Platform. Although the contents of the agreement have not been disclosed, the parties indicate that Microsoft will receive royalties from ViewSonic under the agreement."

"As we shall show in imminent Cablegate cables, US diplomats help Microsoft by changing laws around the world."They name Android also Chrome OS, but they intentionally don't say if it's just FAT patents (as we recently learned from Keith of the OIN) or anything beyond it. The purpose is FUD. Microsoft cannot compete by making products, so it uses its own gangster-inspired tactics to turn Linux-running devices into its own cash cows. As we shall show in imminent Cablegate cables, US diplomats help Microsoft by changing laws around the world. And the patent system is evidently broken as the secrecy impedes investigations into those dubious 'deals'.

Microsoft refuses to say what patents are actually involved, which is indicative of how weak those patents really are (easy to invalidate or work around). As one site put it, "Back in June, Microsoft persuaded General Dynamics Itronix, Velocity Micro and Onkyo to settle a licensing agreement, shortly followed by Wistron the following month. Meanwhile, the company is believed to also be targeting Samsung for a similar – though probably far more lucrative – deal. HTC is already believed to pay Microsoft $5 per Android device it makes."

Samsung is only paying Microsoft for FAT, based on what we recently learned. In fact, much of what Microsoft calls "Linux" patent deals are actually over FAT and Android deals are actually about ActiveSync. Another reason to dump Microsoft in the enterprise and avoid its file systems, right? Who would wish to depend on such a gangster? ⬆