Microsoft patent peace--or patent war?

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Very good questions ...

I would suggest, for starters, that MS is beginning to recognize that it is Novell, not SCO, that actually holds the keys to Unix and MS is DEFINATELY interested in Unix technology for a number of very important reasons. Incorporating key Unix software could accellerate MS penetration of the enterprise market. Linux is off limits for MS because of the GPL, but Unix is definately available to them, and it turns out that Novell still holds the key copyrights and patents on the Unix side. At the same time, Novell desperately needs access to Windows technology to move Linux forward on the desktop. PLEASE NOTE - I am not predicting these things will happen. I am saying that there is interest on both ends and that these things will likely be explored.

All of this could be very good for Linux because it is, indeed likely to result in the revelation of any infringing Linux code, since Novell is likely to replace that code with MS supplied alternatives. In this way, Linux distributors will 'know' what code to avoid AND they will likely have the potential alternative of buying that code from MS and including it in their premier offerings. And while that would mean increased competition for MS, it would also mean the addition of a new royalty stream that would likely more than compensate for any potential losses.

As for IBM, I am not sure that IBM is terribly concerned about this development. In fact that silence emanating from both IBM and ODSL is really quite deafening. Actually, I believe that IBM might see this move as 'clearing the air' on the MS side of the issue. There is little doubt that MS was goading SCO in its frontal attack on Linux. That whole endeavor was a catastrophic failure and so now MS is changing course. It is sort of like if you can't destroy your competition, figure out a way to make money off of them. I would guess that MS makes a tidy amount of money selling key apps for Apple. I would not be surprised if they see the potential for the Linux market as well. After all, I can assure you that full NTFS support for Linux is not happening without MS express approval.

This all reflects the fact that Linux is coming of age. That has its costs and its benefits. On the cost side, it means that those who produce software as a way to earn their bread will have to be compensated fairly no matter whether their products are used on Windows OR on Linux. And that necessity will have to be enforced with integrity on the Linux distributor side. On the other hand it will mean that finally Linux users will begin to have access to capabilities that only Windows and Apple users have had access to thus far. So this is a good thing. Both camps will benefit as a result of it. Thats my very biased view.

Posted by: George Mitchell   Posted on: 11/06/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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