Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Microsoft and Casio enter cross licensing agreement, world wonders if Casio actually makes Linux-based devices]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/21/microsoft-and-casio-enter-cross-licensing-agreement-world-wonde/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/21/microsoft-and-casio-enter-cross-licensing-agreement-world-wonde/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/21/microsoft-and-casio-enter-cross-licensing-agreement-world-wonde/#comments If you happen to be making devices that run on Linux -- of which Android is a subset -- odds are pretty good that you'll be getting a phone call from Redmond at some point. And that's just what happened to Casio, who's joining existing licensees TomTom and Amazon in signing a cross license agreement with Microsoft for patents pertaining to the Tux-approved OS. Covering Linux on "certain Casio devices," the joint statement was equally vague about how many greenbacks exchanged hands, simply stating: "[both] parties acknowledge that Microsoft is being compensated by Casio." There ain't much more to it, but folks looking to humor themselves can do so after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft and Casio enter cross licensing agreement, world wonders if Casio actually makes Linux-based devices

Microsoft and Casio enter cross licensing agreement, world wonders if Casio actually makes Linux-based devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 05:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcasiocross licensecross licensingCrossLicenseCrossLicensinglicensinglicensing agreementLicensingAgreementlinuxmicrosoftminipostopen sourceOpenSourcepatentpatentsWed, 21 Sep 2011 05:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft and Amazon announce open-source patent agreement, trinkets in exchange for air kisses]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/microsoft-and-amazon-announce-open-source-patent-agreement-trin/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/microsoft-and-amazon-announce-open-source-patent-agreement-trin/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/microsoft-and-amazon-announce-open-source-patent-agreement-trin/#comments Mention "Microsoft" and "open-source" in the same breath and you're guaranteed to create a suspicion interrupt within the Linux community. Toss in "patent agreement" and out come the irate spokesmen. So imagine the response to the announcement that Microsoft and Amazon have reached a cross-patent agreement that gives Amazon the right to use open-source software in its Kindle in exchange for an undisclosed tithe to Redmond. Microsoft also gains rights to Amazon's patent portfolio.

The move prompted Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation, to claim that Microsoft appears to be trying to, "create uncertainty around Linux." Mind you, this isn't just tin-foil worry from the wire colander collective, Microsoft claims that free and open-source software violates some 235 Microsoft patents. A big enough stick to coax a number of companies -- like Novell, Linspire, Xandros, Apple, and HP -- into striking agreements with Microsoft or risk litigation as was the case with TomTom. Agreements that Canonical's Mark Shuttelworth called, "Trinkets in exchange for air kisses," or "patent terrorism" if you prefer Sun Microsystems' take.

Microsoft and Amazon announce open-source patent agreement, trinkets in exchange for air kisses originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazoncross licenseCrossLicensefree softwareFreeSoftwareJim ZemlinJimZemlinkindlelegallinuxmicrosoftopen sourceOpenSourcepatentTue, 23 Feb 2010 01:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft and TomTom settle Linux patent suit, Linux not necessarily in the clear]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/30/microsoft-and-tomtom-settle-linux-patent-suit-linux-not-necessa/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/30/microsoft-and-tomtom-settle-linux-patent-suit-linux-not-necessa/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/30/microsoft-and-tomtom-settle-linux-patent-suit-linux-not-necessa/#commentsWell, that was fast -- just a month after Microsoft set the open-source world on fire by claiming that TomTom's use of Linux violated its FAT filesystem patents, the two companies have settled, with TomTom paying the always-popular "undisclosed amount" and letting MS license four of its navigation patents for free. What's more, TomTom has also agreed to remove certain functionality from its PNDs within two years. That's huge -- not only did TomTom's attorneys calculate that the total cost of this settlement was less than the cost of a trial and a potential loss, the overwhelmingly one-way nature of the deal implies they felt they were holding a bad position. Since we don't know if that was more to do with the navigation patents or the FAT patents, we can't really say what's going to happen next, but Microsoft's made no bones about the fact that it thinks Linux violates all sorts of its IP, and cruising to an easy settlement in a month like this just might encourage its legal department to go digging for gold in troubled economic times. We'll see.

Filed under:

Microsoft and TomTom settle Linux patent suit, Linux not necessarily in the clear originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fatfat filesystemfat32FatFilesystemlawsuitlegallinuxmicrosoftpatenttomtomMon, 30 Mar 2009 16:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft files patent lawsuit against TomTom over Linux-based GPS systems]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/microsoft-files-patent-lawsuit-against-tomtom-over-linux-based-g/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/microsoft-files-patent-lawsuit-against-tomtom-over-linux-based-g/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/microsoft-files-patent-lawsuit-against-tomtom-over-linux-based-g/#commentsMicrosoft has long maintained that Linux infringes at least 235 of its patents, and it looks like it's reaching deep into the bin for some extra ammo in a new case filed against TomTom over nav systems -- of the eight alleged patent infringements in the complaint, five are specifically about portable navigation devices , while the remaining three cover what look to be filesystem-management techniques inherent to the Linux kernel itself. It seems like the Linux issue is less important to Redmond than the GPS patents -- deputy general counsel Horacio Gutierrez says there aren't any broader plans to go after Linux vendors and that it "respects and appreciates" open source -- but if Microsoft scores a victory here, it'll have an incredible advantage should it decide to take on any other Linux-based products. We'll be following this one very closely, we'll keep you in the loop.

[Via Business Insider]

Read - Techflash
Read - Microsoft complaint [PDF]

Filed under: ,

Microsoft files patent lawsuit against TomTom over Linux-based GPS systems originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lawsuitlegallinuxmicrosoftpatenttomtomWed, 25 Feb 2009 18:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft says it's not bound by GPL v3]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/07/microsoft-says-its-not-bound-by-gpl-v3/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/07/microsoft-says-its-not-bound-by-gpl-v3/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/07/microsoft-says-its-not-bound-by-gpl-v3/#comments
It's been a week since version 3 of the GPL was released, and the ripple effect is starting to make some pretty big waves: Microsoft -- which has been essentially selling Novell's SUSE Linux since last year -- released a terse statement today claiming that neither it nor its customers are parties to any terms of the revised license. Furthermore, "to avoid any doubt or legal debate on this issue," Microsoft will decline to support any GPL v3 code that might be distributed with SUSE. Microsoft does have a point: since Linux remains under GPL v2 (and probably will for the foreseeable future), there's very little binding them to the terms of GPL v3 -- specifically, the patent protection terms that would essentially undo the major element of the whole MS / Novell agreement. How the inclusion of GPL v3 code with SUSE affects the overall license is another matter entirely -- one that will result in a lot of legal chest-pounding until the GPL finally gets tested in an American court.

Disclaimer: While the author of this post is a copyright attorney, its contents are not meant to constitute legal advice or analysis.

[Via CNET]

Filed under: ,

Microsoft says it's not bound by GPL v3 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Jul 2007 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gplgpl v3GplV3legallinuxmicrosoftnovellpatentpatentssuseSat, 07 Jul 2007 08:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft briefy ignores beef with Linux, signs IP deal with Xandros]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/04/microsoft-briefy-ignores-beef-with-linux-signs-ip-deal-with-xan/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/04/microsoft-briefy-ignores-beef-with-linux-signs-ip-deal-with-xan/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/04/microsoft-briefy-ignores-beef-with-linux-signs-ip-deal-with-xan/#comments
It seems the love / hate relationship between Microsoft and all things open source is swinging back to the mushy side of the equation, and while this isn't exactly the retaliation we were expecting after getting blasted by Linus Torvalds, it's intriguing nonetheless. In an agreement that eerily resembles that drawn up with Novell, Microsoft has reportedly "announced a broad collaboration agreement based on a set of technical, business, marketing, and intellectual property commitments" with Linux platform provider Xandros. The deal seeks to provide customers working in mixed operating system environments with "enhanced interoperability, more effective systems management solutions, and intellectual property assurances," and the four major focal points include systems management interoperability, server interoperability, office document compatibility, and intellectual property assurance. Interestingly, that also means that Redmond won't be suing Xandros for so-called patent infringement anytime soon, and the partnership even suggests that Microsoft will be "endorsing Xandros Server and Desktop as a preferred Linux distribution." So while we may never know Microsoft's true feelings towards the passionate open source community, there should be a whole lotta love spread to Xandros customers over the next five years.

[Via InformationWeek]

Filed under: ,

Microsoft briefy ignores beef with Linux, signs IP deal with Xandros originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agreementfsfGPLv3intellectual propertyIntellectualPropertyipissuelegallinuxmicrosoftopen sourceopen-sourceOpenSourcepartnerpartnershippatentpatentsproblemsoftwarethe General Public LicenseTheGeneralPublicLicenseXandrosMon, 04 Jun 2007 16:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Linus Torvalds to Microsoft: put up or shut up]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/18/linus-torvalds-to-microsoft-put-up-or-shut-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/18/linus-torvalds-to-microsoft-put-up-or-shut-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/18/linus-torvalds-to-microsoft-put-up-or-shut-up/#commentsAw snap. Just when you thought the Microsoft / open-source relationship was getting bad, it's now getting even worse, as yet another turn has been taken in the on-again, off-again love affair between the two. Soon after Microsoft's General Counsel claimed that free and open-source software (FOSS) -- a bundle of which related to Linux -- violated precisely 235 of its patents, Linus Torvalds decided to fire back on behalf of the little guy. In an interview with InformationWeek, Mr. Torvalds retorted by suggesting that it is actually "a lot more likely that Microsoft violates patents than Linux does," and even noted that if "the source code for Windows could be subjected to the same critical review that Linux has been, Microsoft would find itself in violation of patents held by other companies." Of course, he backed his statements by stating that the "fundamental stuff was done about half a century ago and has long, long since lost any patent protection," and closed things up by insinuating that Redmond should put its cards on the table so that Linux users prove 'em wrong, or better yet, "code around whatever silly things they claim." As if you couldn't tell, them's fightin' words, folks.

[Via IDM, image courtesy of TACTechnology]

Filed under: , ,

Linus Torvalds to Microsoft: put up or shut up originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2007 23:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conflictcourtdebatefuedinfringmentlegalLinus TorvaldsLinusTorvaldslinuxlitigationmedia pcmedia pcsmediapcmediapcsmicrosoftopen sourceopen-sourceOpenSourceoperating systemOperatingSystemospatentpatentedpatentssoftwaretrademarkFri, 18 May 2007 23:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft: Linux and others violate 235 of our patents]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/14/microsoft-linux-and-others-violate-235-of-our-patents/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/14/microsoft-linux-and-others-violate-235-of-our-patents/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/14/microsoft-linux-and-others-violate-235-of-our-patents/#commentsIf you thought that Microsoft's deal with Novell was the end of Redmond v. Linux litigation, think again. In an unsettling story carried by Fortune over the weekend, Microsoft's General Counsel claims that free and open-source software (FOSS) violates exactly 235 Microsoft patents: Linux kernel (42), Linux GUI (65), Open Office suite (45), email (15), and then another 68 patents violated across a variety of FOSS wares -- the first time Microsoft has provided such specificity. Microsoft goes so far as to claim that that is the reason for open-source software's high-quality. However, Eben Moglen, legal counsel to the Free Software Foundation and head of the Software Freedom Law Center, says that software is a mathematical algorithm which can not be patented and easily "invented around" -- a case made even stronger last month by the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling undermining patent trolls. Still, FOSS allies such as Sony, Philips, Novell, Red Hat and NEC were already banded together under the Open Invention Network with their own collection of patents meant to protect themselves from the kind of litigious quagmire Microsoft seems poised to launch. Ironically, that very pact between Microsoft, Novell, and more recently Dell makes Microsoft an uneasy Linux distributor (depending upon your legal interpretation of the deal) which could leave them powerless to bring patent suits against Linux customers and distributors. With Microsoft facing the Google goliath and a general consumer malaise, it's really no surprise to find them prepped for a patent offensive in search of additional revenue. However, our biggest fear is for this sudden increase in posturing by Ballmer and Co. to turn into a full blown series of lawsuits and countersuits sure to stifle innovation into the next decade.

[Via Scobleizer]

Filed under: , ,

Microsoft: Linux and others violate 235 of our patents originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2007 04:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ballmerbreaking newsBreakingNewsfosslegallinuxmedia pcmedia pcsmediapcmediapcsmicrosoftmoglenopen officeopen sourceopen-sourceOpenOfficeOpenSourcepatentMon, 14 May 2007 04:26:00 EST