Microsoft turns up the FUD:
Microsoft claims that free software like Linux, which runs a big chunk of corporate America, violates 235 of its patents. It wants royalties from distributors and users. Users like you, maybe
In response, companies began stocking up on software patents, with traditional hardware outfits like IBM leading the way, since they already had staffs of patent attorneys working at their engineers’ elbows. Microsoft lagged far behind.
Considering Microsoft came to late to the party, is their anything in their patent portfolio that will stand up to scrutiny? Is there anything substantial that is not prior art?
As with the Internet, though, Microsoft came late to the party, then crashed it with a vengeance. In 2002, the year Smith became general counsel, the company applied for 1,411 patents. By 2004 it had more than doubled that number, submitting 3,780.
But most of their “patents” are frivolous. Examples:
Scheduling the recording of television programs.
Selecting N items to display from a pool having a number of display items greater than N.
Conjugating a Verb.
Processing Music Playlists.
Identifying when baseball is exciting.
Other examples here.
I am with Tim Bray:
Litigate or shut up.
Losers.
