[luau] Microsoft's New Linux Killing Plan

[Mark P. Kellman]

After reading the article, I'm very frustrated with MS and will send a
letter to whomever I can find.  Any suggestions on where I can start
looking?

TIA,
Mark

----- Original Message -----
From: "Warren Togami" <warren at togami.com>
To: <luau at videl.ics.hawaii.edu>; <usclug-chat at zig.usc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 6:20 AM
Subject: [luau] Microsoft's New Linux Killing Plan


> I didn't realize the severe implications of this until now.  Microsoft
> couldn't kill Linux with their usual undercutting or buying out, so they
> have turned to licensing and patents to make it illegal to make
> inoperable software under the GPL/LGPL free software licenses.  There
> are indications that they will use patents to kill the Mono project when
> it becomes a viable alternative to the .NET platform, and this CIFS
> specification licensing makes it illegal to implement inoperable Windows
> networking stuff under the GPL/LGPL licenses.
>
> And as this article explains, this is part of Microsoft's "punishment"
> of disclosing information to competitors. Under this licensing the ONLY
> VIABLE COMPETITOR to Microsoft is specifically excluded.
>
> http://news.com.com/2010-1075-882846.html
> The Microsoft penalty that isn't
>
> "In its antitrust settlement with the Justice Department and nine
> states, Microsoft promised to publish technology that would allow
> competing products to interoperate with Windows. But Microsoft has
> sidestepped the penalty by crafting a technology license that excludes
> the company's only viable competitor."
>
> ... (This following restriction is particularly nasty.)
>
> "A second Microsoft license on extensions used in Windows 2000 and
> Windows XP will require royalty payments, excluding all software
> produced by the open-source developer community. Because Microsoft has
> patented features of the file-sharing protocol, open-source developers
> who implement the protocol could be sued for infringement."
> (continued in article)
>
> Warren Togami
> warren at togami.com
>
>
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