I can't have any sympathy for them in a case like this.
If Microsoft felt it was a victim of software patents, then it would be lobbying Congress and industry to abolish software patents. Instead they make rumbly noises at Linux over supposed patent violations, and continue to amass patents. "For defense only." Yeah, right.
I'm not aware of Microsoft, or any other large patent-holding tech company, being known for advocating against software patents. Microsoft certainly has the research dollars available to show harm to itself or the industry, if that's the case. Yet they don't do that.
So Microsoft must believe that, on the whole, they're better off with software patents than without. So I have zero sympathy for them.
I'd really like the exact opposite. The sooner every company supporting patents is hit with lawsuits and the sooner we get to the situation where noone can publish any code safely, the more chances there are for patents to be rejected. I hope that someone will emerge one day with a collection of patents for base Windows, Unix and Mac functionality, successfully enforce it and refuse to license. One can dream...
[+] [-] appathy|16 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nfnaaron|16 years ago|reply
If Microsoft felt it was a victim of software patents, then it would be lobbying Congress and industry to abolish software patents. Instead they make rumbly noises at Linux over supposed patent violations, and continue to amass patents. "For defense only." Yeah, right.
I'm not aware of Microsoft, or any other large patent-holding tech company, being known for advocating against software patents. Microsoft certainly has the research dollars available to show harm to itself or the industry, if that's the case. Yet they don't do that.
So Microsoft must believe that, on the whole, they're better off with software patents than without. So I have zero sympathy for them.
You live by the sword, you bleed by the sword.
[+] [-] viraptor|16 years ago|reply
[+] [-] teilo|16 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mrcharles|16 years ago|reply