If they really want to do it right.

Posted Nov 16, 2006 14:20 UTC (Thu) by zotz (guest, #26117)
Parent article: Microsoft seeks input on promise not to sue individuals

Give co-ownership of all of their patents to an independent non-profit that is only allowed to license said patents for use in Free Software. (or hardware containing same.)

If they want some protection, only copyleft software such as the GPL. Who knows, MS may come to love the GPL yet.

Then let the non-profit sign a deal that gives them the same rights to all future patents granted to or controlled by MS (word this right please) in exchange for a dollar and we are good to go.

Something like that.

Trust is hard to come by this late in the game.

Some other big players might benefit big time from such a move as well.

all the best,

drew
http://www.ourmedia.org/node/262954
Sayings - Deterred bahamian Novel.
One of my little contributions to Freedom.