Microsoft Corporation and Samsung Electronics have agreed to a broad, cross-licensing patent agreement covering Samsung's existing and future product lines. The deal also gives Microsoft access to Samsung’s intellectual property related to digital media and computers and apparently includes a controversial clause that protects against any legal claims Microsoft may have on technology used in Linux. Financial terms were not released, but the companies said they would receive payments for the use of their respective technology. Within the joint press release announcing the deal, the companies said, "Samsung and its distributors and customers may utilize Microsoft's patents in Samsung's products with proprietary software, and Samsung will also obtain coverage from Microsoft for its customers' use of certain Linux-based products."
It appears Microsoft has extended to Samsung legal protection similar to what the software maker gave Novell in a deal announced in November 2006. Microsoft and Novell agreed not to sue each other over intellectual property within Windows and Suse Linux, Novell's distribution of the open-source operating system. Microsoft confirmed that the Samsung deal related to Linux is "very similar" to the one with Novell.
News source: InformationWeek
It appears Microsoft has extended to Samsung legal protection similar to what the software maker gave Novell in a deal announced in November 2006. Microsoft and Novell agreed not to sue each other over intellectual property within Windows and Suse Linux, Novell's distribution of the open-source operating system. Microsoft confirmed that the Samsung deal related to Linux is "very similar" to the one with Novell.
News source: InformationWeek
I mean, I can understand this "protection" for Novell users, but Samsung?!
They make hardware and UMPCs that run Vista..... Where does Linux fit into the picture?
(Am I missing something here?)
EDIT: Just as an example, the first gen Toshiba HD-DVD players ran linux, but can you tell?
It is the shady way business is done, and Microsoft has perfected the technique.
Samsung also does a pretty good job of supporting linux from a driver point of view, as a lot of their products have linux drivers as well.
Embedded is a great arena for Linux: mainstream 'brand recognition' factor doesn't matter with the OS on a phone or set-top box, and the manufacturer has no support/training overhead (it goes hand-in-hand with supporting the device itself) -- not to mention the benefits of zero licensing cost and infinite 'tweakability' if they roll their own OS. I can see Microsoft having a strong desire to catch up in this sector, now they have a new (and, reportedly, not too bad) mobile OS to punt. It just beats me what Samsung stand to gain, other than that they believe the Big Patent Armageddon Threat™.
Why have two enormous and not obviously deranged companies chosen to believe that the B.P.A.T. is real and Microsoft actually does have something that could damage their business?
WHAT DO THEY KNOW?
I feel we should be told.
Of course there is no need to indemnify use of all features found in Windows product lines. However, a mention that unrestricted use of at least some of those technologies is hereby granted would go long way in bringing peace and mutual understanding between both camps.
P.S.
Let's not kid ourself... we all known that some Windows code was shamelessly incorporated into non-Windows projects. A great example here would be the TCP/IP stack finding its way into FreeBSD... Oh wait... maybe it was the other way around...
I think you are missing the view of the majority of the open source community. They want to know what exactly Microsoft thinks belongs to them that is being utilized in open source code. They have asked for specifics and Microsoft has released none. This is entirely a Microsoft public relations scheme to keep the legal department of every corporation using open source on production systems on edge and fearful of potential liability and litigation. It's no more than a scare tactic to bully corporations who won't switch to a pure Microsoft environment.
Microsoft can offer Novel and Samsung protection from legal action related to Linux technologies to their heart's delight, since that doesn't cost them anything (literally).
Similarly, Linux community should offer similar deal to Windows users.
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Just in case that you didn't notice that my post was written 'with tongue in cheek'...
In general I believe that one should not go into serious debate with a deranged person -- after a while it is really hard to tell who's nuts, and who's not. Similar principle applies here. By allowing Microsoft to dictate the rules of engagement (including proposition and language), the Linux community has lost already, as this is a battle of public perception. Only by battling their insanity with another insanity this whole affair can be diffused as a cheap PR stunt (albeit brilliant).
I am gonna go out on a limb and say next version of windows will be linux based. what other reaons is there for microsfot being so interested in linux rightr afte they release vista, obviously moving on tho new projects and getting all the legal crap out of the way.
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