Hints That Microsoft May Use IP Against Linux 268 plus 11

On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 18:38:43 +0100, Roy Schestowitz

Perhaps. But even Red Hat has been acquiring patents. You *HAVE* to in this day and age in order to protect yourself against being sued by someone else. The typical approach is that if you can patent enough stuff, it's extremely likely that anyone that wants to sue you for patent infringement probably vioates one of yours, so you simply cross license your patents and you're immune to any further patent lawsuits from that company.

How is this ludicrous?

What does that have to do with Patents Microsof owns?

Perhaps you should actually read the patent before running off half chickened. I know that's a little too much for someone of your mental facilities to do, so i'll make it clear. Microsoft does not have a patent on FAT. They have a patent on an algorithm used in VFAT, the long file name enhancement to FAT. VFAT most definately did not exist "before" (what I don't know, you weren't clear).

No, Microsoft's patent portfolio is strictly defensive, not offensive. As I said already. Microsoft has *NEVER* initiated a patent lawsuit against anyone. Ever. Nor do I expect them to start.