Microsoft and LG Electronics Sign Linux Covenant

rs232 wrote with a PC World link discussing another alliance between Microsoft and a vendor via Linux. The vendor this time around is electronics maker LG, and marks the fifth company to license unspecified patents relating to Linux or Linux devices from the OS giant. "'This agreement is focused only on exchange of patent rights,' said David Kaefer, general manager of IP licensing at Microsoft. 'The open-source elements of the deal do utilize a covenant model similar to the Xandros and Novell deals, but this deal is most similar to recent agreements with Samsung and Fuji Xerox.' Those deals were signed this year in April and March, respectively. Both covered general access to intellectual property contained in patent portfolios and included protection for customers using Linux-based software."

Just wasting their money...

[PrescriptionWarning]

they might as well just start folding their money into paper airplanes and throw em into Redmond

Re:The cascade effect has started.

[ronadams]

You're probably just being your namesake, pair-a-noyd. By the way, I just noticed a new package is available in my stable-supported channel: ms-bsod-import. I wonder what that means?

Re:I may be the only one but

[Reason58]

As for me? I DON'T BELIEVE in software religion.

What on Earth are you doing on Slashdot?

So there's still some justice in the world

[The_Abortionist]

After all, how many billion dollars did MS spend to make Windows XP and Vista the best operating systems this universe has ever seen? And some people thought they could just go and steal everything without having Microsoft fight back?

235 patents.

I say again: 235 patents.

Considering how rock solid Windows has been since Windows 2000, and that Linux is still a little flaky, I'm guessing the kernel developers didn't have access to the stability patents by Microsoft.

Well, I'm really only surprised that LG didnt just license Windows instead and be rid of all the issues at once.

Re:The cascade effect has started.

[Compholio]

Embrace, extend and extinguish

Don't worry, most of our community doesn't embrace back. It's kinda like the girls we slashdotters chase after - no matter how hard we try they're NEVER going to embrace us. Sure, we might get mixed signals from a couple but it's nothing serious.

Re:Help! I'm confused

[WilliamSChips]

I don't get it either. If I were MS, I'd unveil the list (and 225 seems a ridiculously low number). Their "we wouldn't be able to handle the tsunami of responses" excuse doesn't seem to make any sense at all...

If I were Joseph McCarthy, I'd unveil the list(and 205 communists seems a ridiculously low number).

The OS Wars

[Anonymous Coward]

Linspire: Oh, they're coming! They're coming! Just like last time!

Debian: We've got to wait it out for reinforments.

Linspire: They killed Private Xandros and Assimilated General SUSE! We've next!

BOOOOOOOOM!

Debian: LG Electronics!

Linspire: They're gone...

Red Hat: (removes his hat)

Ubuntu: (plays a funeral tune on his bugle)

Re:Linuzzz?

[demigod]

WTF is Linuzzz?

Isn't it a narcoleptic Linux distribution?

Re:One quick point...

[Anonymous Coward]

why should I care about Americans shooting themselves in the foot

Because our foot is on your neck.

Re:Help! I'm confused

[Anonymous Coward]

It works like this:

"Hi! I'm from Microsoft!"

"Oh, hello there!"

"Would you like some money?"

"Geee, sure!"

"Fine, just sign right here."

Re:First they came...

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh shut the fuck up how dare you cheapen the death of hundreds of Spartan soldiers for your stupid Microsoft analogy etc etc

Re:Just wasting their money...

[feedmetrolls]

Has anyone else seen the episode of The Simpsons where Homer starts an internet business and Bill Gates offers to "buy him out?" Then when Homer agrees:

Gates: Buy 'em out, boys! [two henchmen start wrecking Homer's office]

Homer: What are you doing?

Gates: I don't get rich by writing a bunch of checks [laughs moniacally].