Why?

Why?

Posted Jun 10, 2007 8:41 UTC (Sun) by tialaramex (subscriber, #21167)
In reply to: Why? by dmarti
Parent article: Xandros CEO doesn't agree that Linux is patent violator (LinuxWorld)

I don't agree, if you assume that Microsoft doesn't intend to start patent armageddon then it makes sense to treat any Microsoft deal as if the section talking about patents didn't exist.

Suppose a company agreed a sweet deal with you, except that it has a clause which says they will protect you against mind control by invading Martians.

This still seems like a pretty good deal, right? Yet once the deal is signed of course they can say "A lot of people believe in the Martian invasion, look at this contract" and hint that other people need to sign up for mind control protection. You can protest that you don't believe in Martians all you like, but you've signed a contract which seems to admit that they exist and some people will take an inference from that which is /illogical/ but seems intuitive.

I still think this is just about PR spin. At any moment in time, Microsoft needs some spin that will keep otherwise clueless PHBs from authorising Linux. They need new spin all the time, and at the moment it's about patent infringement.

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