Microsoft Won't Sue Linux Users, Company Exec Says (InformationWeek) [LWN.net]

Microsoft Won't Sue Linux Users, Company Exec Says (InformationWeek)

Posted May 16, 2007 5:59 UTC (Wed) by Brotherred (guest, #45141)
In reply to: Microsoft Won't Sue Linux Users, Company Exec Says (InformationWeek) by drag
Parent article: Microsoft Won't Sue Linux Users, Company Exec Says (InformationWeek)

Well I am not upset like I normally am over stuff like this. Clear at least to me is the SCO deal has taught me some thing. I'll just be blunt. I actually would like to see a patent war between IBM the biggest patent holder in the world teamed up with all of the other FOSS companies (Minus Novel?) against Microsoft.

SCO episode III. I keep saying it and I just can't wait to see it.

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Yes, but...

Posted May 16, 2007 7:52 UTC (Wed) by pr1268 (guest, #24648) [Link]

Looking at this scenario from an overall bigger perspective, a patent war fought in the courtroom would spell disaster for all the participants. It would drain considerable resources from all parties, leaving companies little (if any) to pursue research & development and marketing new products. Computer-using consumers would be the losers.

I do feel that Microsoft created an ugly situation by making the patent violation claim the other day, and they only exacerbated the whole thing by "promising" not to sue various Linux-using companies (to assuage various fears that they actually could sue).

If Microsoft wants to strike licensing deals (as the InformationWeek article mentions), then how come they didn't do so years ago? Some of these "infringed" patents must certainly date back to at least 1998 or so. I know that question borders on rhetorical, but how come just now Microsoft wants to cry foul? Seems to me they're a day late and a dollar short.