Microsoft's Marshall Phelps On Patents And Linux

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft's Marshall Phelps says he is running 'a licensing shop, not a litigation shop.' Bill Gates's intellectual property guru talks to Brad Stone about Redmond's new emphasis on patents, why he can't license Microsoft IP to distributors of open source software -- and why he shouldn't be feared."

Re:Seems on the level.

[kfg]

If Microsoft was going to pull some patent-issue on free software. . .

it would pay SCO to do it for them.

KFG

Re:No, Don't Run!

[geminidomino]

No! Am friend! Skeksis mean you no harm!

Re:Seems on the level.

[Anonymous Coward]

.. and companies like Dell and Gateway forcefeed it to their customers.

Ahh, you mean the same Dell that buys advertising from Slashdot (owned by the Open Source Technology Group)?

The Early Days

[Rie Beam]

"There have always been patent lawsuits, stretching back to the undocumented but likely stone-age fracas over the wheel."

"Ugg just invent wheel. Come see, Ogg."
"Ugg do good. Can Ogg try?"
"Ugg have patent on wheel. File proper papers and submit proper licensing fees."
"But paper not invented yet, and Igg has patent on money!"
"So? That Ogg problem, not mine..."