CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XLVI: Ballmer still wants compensation from Red Hat users

If you'll recall, it was around this time last year when ole Steve Ballmer fessed up and stated that Linux users probably owed him a nickle or two, and apparently, he's yet to get over it. Reportedly, Mr. Ballmer was speaking out last week "at a company event in London discussing online services in the UK" when he proclaimed that "people who use Red Hat, at least with respect to our intellectual property, in a sense have an obligation to compensate us." Furthermore, he went on to "praise Novell for valuing intellectual property, and suggested that open source vendors will be forced to strike similar deals with other patent holders." Of course, we're sure he means well and all, given that all he "really" wants is "an intellectual property interoperability framework between the two worlds." And a few dollars too, right?

[Via TheInquirer]

[Argot @ Oct 10th 2007 8:43AM]

I think he was answering a hypothetical question from a journalist.

[dudeInAmerica @ Oct 10th 2007 8:43AM]

Didn't SCO just go down this path?

Bill, get Steve under control.

Make interoperability, not war.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 10th 2007 1:31PM]

There are murmurs that Microsoft was helping to fund the SCO fiasco...

[James Ollier @ Oct 10th 2007 8:44AM]

Greedy SOB

[Rick H @ Oct 10th 2007 8:49AM]

I think Jammie Thomas uses Red Hat.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 10th 2007 8:59AM]

I know Jamie Farr does.

DISCLAIMER
(I don't actually know that.)

[matt @ Oct 10th 2007 8:54AM]

I think Engadget could have used some *far* more entertaining pictures of Ballmer for this article...

[FrankTheCrank @ Oct 10th 2007 8:54AM]

Balmer reminds me of Frankenstein Jr. from the Mel Brooks movie.

I can see him now, "Grrrrrr, me want more money!"

[Trimbleman @ Oct 10th 2007 11:16AM]

I can already see Mr. Ballmer singing " Puttin on the RITZ " ...where is Gene Wilder ???

lol

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 10th 2007 8:58AM]

So it's Red Hat users VS Big Fat Abusers then?

So it's Red Hat users VS Greedy Sweaty Losers then?

[Cameron Campbell @ Oct 10th 2007 9:08AM]

At some point Balmer/MS are actually going to lay out in a clear way where exactly this supposed patent violation is right?

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 10th 2007 1:37PM]

Haha... no. If they do that, they will be forced to open up the "code coat" and show the world their privates. Not only that, but if they start naming patents, then IBM can pull themselves up to the table and lay Microsoft on it's back.

[Cesar Cardoso @ Oct 10th 2007 9:14AM]

TWO CE-Oh no's on the same week! And one of them starred by Microsoft comedian-monkeydancer-all-around-entertainer Steve Ballmer!

It'd be a happy week! :P

[Fuzzball @ Oct 10th 2007 9:15AM]

Could someone please explain or give me a link to something explaining exactly what intellectual property of MS is in Linux?

Did Balmer find a comment like "does this belong here" in the Linux source? Is it something unrelated to Linux like Samba or drivers for Intel WiFi cards? Or perhaps it's because his OS and Linux both have a CLI that's based off of UNIX?

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Oct 10th 2007 10:15AM]

If there be such manual - it all would have being "fixed" by F/LOSS and/or GNU and/or Linux in under one week.

But that's the whole point of accusations: they never tell clearly "Linux infringes our patents", they never tell "Linux infringes patent #xxx.xxx.xxx". It is always unclear: "I think ...", "We believe ...", "My mom told me ...", "Cousin of my girlfriend's friend ex mentioned once ..."

This is plain F.U.D. since they left nothing else to bash Linux with.

[Randy @ Oct 10th 2007 10:53AM]

I'm afraid that's not possible since up until now, MS hasn't stated specifically which IP it is that Linux is infringing.

MS can't effectively take anyone to court over it without spelling out exactly what's being infringed upon and they have to give the Linux developers an opportunity to to rectify before going court.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 10th 2007 1:43PM]

They have to give specifics before they go to court anyway. Or you have to prove that RedHat/other copied Microsoft on purpose. Either way, MS MUST give the other side an opportunity to change the method.

This is purely mud slinging with no proof. They are trying to make it look like Linux is nothing more than a copy-cat of Microsoft. Remember how the old MS/Apple case went? Microsoft can't win this and they know it. This is why they aren't disclosing facts. It's a way for Microsoft to scare the users into thinking that they might have to pay Microsoft simply for downloading Linux.

[John P @ Oct 10th 2007 9:24AM]

In this case, perhaps Microsoft should bone up to apple for stealing their GUIs? Just sayin's all.

[Argot @ Oct 10th 2007 9:41AM]

And then Apple should bone up to Xerox for stealing theirs.

[Ignacio @ Oct 10th 2007 10:08AM]

Apple *licensed* part of Xerox technology, and *hired* Xerox employees.

[Argot @ Oct 10th 2007 11:19AM]

But it's kind of stupid to give Apple credit for something Xerox invented.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 10th 2007 2:05PM]

I'd go one step further and say it's stupid to give Xerox credit for something one/two of it's employees invented.

[Ethan @ Oct 10th 2007 9:24AM]

Oh Jeez. If it starts costing money, there'll be no open source. There's a lot of good people out there who'll toil for nothing/menial donations, but they won't work for minus.

I think if, say, somebody came out with surface, Microsoft would be very entitled to stop them/take a lot of their money. But a big reason Linux exists is to do things differently to windows, and it does, so a claim of copying seems to hold little water.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 10th 2007 1:45PM]

As I posted above:

This is purely mud slinging with no proof. They are trying to make it look like Linux is nothing more than a copy-cat of Microsoft. Remember how the old MS/Apple case went? Microsoft can't win this and they know it. This is why they aren't disclosing facts. It's a way for Microsoft to scare the users into thinking that they might have to pay Microsoft simply for downloading Linux.

[jjd @ Oct 10th 2007 9:58AM]

Question: Is there more Microsoft intellectual property in Linux, or more Open Source-originated intellectual property in Windows?

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 10th 2007 2:02PM]

It's arguable that Windows/Internet/Microsoft wouldn't be where it is now without the TCP stack from BSD. One guy who claims to be on the NT team claimed this was false, but the BSD trademarks were all over early versions of Windows. So you take that whatever way you want.

[Roberta @ Oct 10th 2007 9:46AM]

Dear Steve,

Just dropping you a little note to tell you that since dropping XP in favour of Ubuntu 3 months ago, I haven't had to reboot a single time, my software costs have gone way down and I don't need to add security updates to my software every day in order to remain "safe".

So, please take your outdated OS and go away like a good little boy.

Roberta

[andy @ Oct 10th 2007 9:47AM]

Demanding money for your IP is kind of an odd situation when you're actively trying to undermine the US patent system. (MS is lobbying for reductions in damages, compulsory licenses, and has amicus briefs to that effect)

Either you can steal everyone's IP or you can't steal anyone's IP, but you can't steal everyone else's IP while protecting yours. Once these guys accomplish that, we'll actually need a reform.

[tastybytes @ Oct 10th 2007 9:47AM]

i believe this is as valid a comment as when microsoft proclaimed that they "innovate". im sure they are paying novel for NDS and x window for guis.. however i do have to give them creds for innovating questionable business practices.. people think microsoft is a software company, when they probably have a bigger legal and marketing team than programming team.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 10th 2007 1:50PM]

I would actually be very interested to see the actual number of programmers vs. sales/marketing and legal. In fact, I might even pay for those numbers.

[siriusfox @ Oct 10th 2007 9:57AM]

I don't know about you guys. But to me "intellectual property interoperability framework" sounds an awful lot like "trust." Anyone else see a problem with that.

[Sam @ Oct 10th 2007 10:08AM]

Steve Ballmer != Bill Gates.

[Logboy @ Oct 10th 2007 10:46AM]

hmmm....Has anyone ever seen Balmer and Gates in the same room?

[Atanas Boev @ Oct 10th 2007 10:10AM]

Well, he EU comission also feels like Ballmer owes them a nickle or two, and they still want a compensation from him :)

[CosterMonger @ Oct 10th 2007 11:15AM]

Ballmer:

"were just going to keep coming and coming and coming and coming and coming and coming and coming and coming and coming"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La_u1jPLOIA

PS
two separate people
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esw3EFq5Ba4

[KingOfAsses @ Oct 10th 2007 11:35AM]

Steve Balmer is an ass. Just like history books in the future will point to George W Bush for the fall of the United States, Balmer will be the reason behind the fall of Microsoft.

Big idiots in big positions = big problems.

[thesb @ Oct 10th 2007 12:49PM]

Mr Balmer, I promise you, I feel no sense of obligation to compensate you my use of Linux, at all. Oh well. I guess you've got to recoup the costs of anti-trust and monopoly suits somehow. (not that you need the money)

[That's It @ Oct 11th 2007 10:30AM]

That's it, I am switching to Mac.

[ark_v2 @ Oct 10th 2007 1:12PM]

Who can take him seriously? really...

[Broken Haiku @ Oct 10th 2007 1:44PM]

If they got Ballmer off the Meth, perhaps they could afford better coders.

[Dave @ Oct 10th 2007 2:26PM]

Just look at a list of products MS has come out with and their stock history since Ballmer became CEO, and you'll realize why he should be fired.
Although, personally, I don't want him to get fired because I hate MS.

[sk8rpro @ Oct 10th 2007 2:59PM]

Personally, I think we should have a separate collection of stupid quotes from Steve Ballmer, because this guy has been getting quite irritating.

- He has called iPod users thieves.
- He said he had his badly-behaved children "brainwashed" by not using Google and not using an iPod.
- The following viral videos should be included in this section as well: Shouting "Windows [three times]" in Japan, his monkeyboy video, and his Windows 1.0 video.

This guy is loud and annoying. It's what gives Microsoft a bad name. I would personally have more respect for Microsoft if a better leader replaces him.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 10th 2007 5:10PM]

I personally like http://developersdevelopers.com

[Magallanes @ Oct 10th 2007 5:14PM]

I'm get it!... they are playing "good cop/bad cop", Bill Gates is the "good" showing the best face with their "charity" (tax reduction) foundation and Ballmer is the bad cop doing bad things, driving a SUV, killing puppies, working with RIAA and blaming open source community for anything and everything.

[Richard @ Oct 11th 2007 6:29AM]

One problem Linux actually does have a patent war chest and Microsoft knows this. The last thing Microsoft wants is a patent war between them and Linux and its partners like IBM.