[dundee] Groklaw - Microsoft/AST/OIN Patents Story

[Iain Barnett]

On 16 Sep 2009, at 22:42, gordon dunlop wrote:

>
>
> 2009/9/16 Iain Barnett <iainspeed at gmail.com>
>
>
> How does helping spread FUD about Linux benefit HP?
>
> I couldn't see in the main article where this was quoted (I just  
> quickly read it again so point it out to me if I have missed it),  
> unless it was quoted in one of the links. It would be strange as HP  
> is Linux friendly, certainly regarding servers and printers, ahh it  
> might be about desktops and the relationships it has with Microsoft  
> and desktops. A recent article about HP and desktops has been written:
>
>  http://blogs.computerworld.com/14749/ 
> shh_hp_sneaks_linux_in_on_new_laptops
>
> It might be something to do with this, until I know where and in  
> what article it has been quoted in and in what context I am only  
> guessing. Cite the paragraph or article please.
>
> Gordon

first link
http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/open_source/ 
showArticle.jhtml?articleID=219700648

"Furthermore, he said in an interview conducted as he traveled in  
Korea, Microsoft knew all about AST's "catch and release" policy. AST  
is made up of a group of reputable companies, including HP, a Linux  
reseller, that buy patents together for their own protection."

It doesn't make sense. Even if HP are protected by a licence, their  
primary role with Linux is as a reseller, so why would they wish to  
harm the market? I bought some Redhat servers from HP once - do they  
not want that cash??? That a huge company would team up with any  
software company to destroy their own profits is stretching it beyond  
belief.

I couldn't find anything substantial in any of the links regarding  
the "failed hustle", just hearsay or ad hominem/strawman. Methinks  
the lady doth protest too much. At least it wasn't this classic near  
the beginning of the article:

"And by the way, are courts supposed to be used like this, to attack  
the competition? The court system is designed for adjudicating  
conflicts that are real. If you get damaged, you can go to court and  
try to be made whole."

Right, and the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus act as judge and jury.  
Does she know what being rich means? Power and the ability to shape  
laws, and by extension, markets. If she's going to attack capitalist  
philosophy then she should at least read some Chomsky instead of  
watching Ally McBeal - make me whole... ffs.

What about the MS "hypocrisy" for arguing against patent trolls. A  
massive part of the legal system relies on production of strong  
arguments. Aside from winning the case in front of you, they can be  
used over and over again - some of them for thousands of years! So if  
MS win a case with that argument then FOSS organisations can use it  
with a high likelihood of success. What's the problem? Did their  
lawyers get their qualifications from a fake university in Pakistan?  
Did they mix up Steve Balmer with Gandhi?

Somebody brew a huge cup of coffee for these people.


Iain






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