rerushg wrote: Well, I'm not so sure.
I guess you should read more then? e.g. Groklaw?
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?stor ... 8124020691
Microsoft's nonsense about their patents is just that: nonsense.
And besides, according to that Groklaw article I linked to, it looks like that with the help of GPLv3 their once so sweet Novell deal will badly backfire
Quote taken from Groklaw:
".... Microsoft is a distributor already under GPLv2, because of distributing the vouchers and some other unstated things FSF's Brett Smith hinted at when he stated the FSF view. So there is already a defense, thanks to GPLv2's implied patent license. But under GPLv3, it's not implied. Here is precisely what happens to Microsoft when someone hands in a voucher after the GPLv3 is in effect:
If, pursuant to or in connection with a single transaction or arrangement, you convey, or propagate by procuring conveyance of, a covered work, and grant a patent license providing freedom to use, propagate, modify or convey a specific copy of the covered work to any of the parties receiving the covered work, then the patent license you grant is automatically extended to all recipients of the covered work and works based on it.
No wonder, as Moglen puts it, Microsoft has been tossing the vouchers wholesale out of airplanes "as though the coupons themselves were hot, as indeed they are". But now here comes Moglen saying even that won't work, because of the lack of an expiration date on the vouchers. And so, as the sun sets over the horizon, we may be bidding a fond farewell to Microsoft's patent bullying. I hope some friendly folks have bought a voucher. If so, you might just want to take a breather before you turn it in, huh? Then it's buh-bye to Microsoft's 235 patent claims, methinks. So nice of Microsoft to distribute under GPLv3. Hugs and kisses. ..."
Read again: Microsoft overlooked plenty of things. As soon as GPLv3 becomes active (and many open source projects are licensed as "GPL v2 or later", meaning that most stuff will auto-switch to GPLv3 !!) all their patents, regardless if trivial BS or not, become useless, because Microsoft too will be a distributor under GPLv3.
rerushg wrote: The American public accepts patent and copyright laws as "given" and meaningful to individual rights.
Well, good thing then that America doesn't rule over most parts of the world, huh?
Why I say this? American copyright laws and patents only apply to the USA and have no meaning and no value or validity in most other parts of the world
It's as simple as that. Even if Microsoft were to win in a bizarre and twisted parallel Universe: they could only enforce their stupid claims in the USA. In that case Linux would return to its roots in the USA: It would again become an underground project people would have to secretly download from the Internet ... And that's it.
Even in that pervert and twisted parallel Universe Microsoft winning their patent claims would have no effect whatsoever in e.g. Europe.
rerushg wrote: I agree with the general consenus that MS will likely not pursue patent litigation.
Even if they did ...
Read above: They can't do anything to stop Linux. Folks in the USA would download it secretly then; all further Linux development would then focus on Europe, Africa and Asia.
Microsoft winning their patent lawsuit would be totally disastrous for the USA
rerushg wrote: Linux has grown to the point that it is virtually uncontrollable by mere litigation.
Please when was Linux ever "controllable" by "mere litigation" ???
It never was. That's the wonderful part about it. If Microsoft would have been able to kill Linux by litigation or other dirty tricks, don't you think they would have done that long time ago?
rerushg wrote: Now consider the "Patriot Act", under which incredibly massive data mining has been done ... We are told the data has been distroyed. Okay, maybe so. How about the ANALYSIS of that data? Where is that?
And you call yourselves "Land of the Free" ???
Wouldn't you agree with me that this is a total sarcastic joke??
Do you really think you are "free" ? I don't think so.
rerushg wrote: What if the analysis can be spun to show that "..unlicensed software and OS's are a fundamental tool of international terrorism..."?
And then what? Invade Finnland?
Invade Germany, for SUSE originates from there? Invade South Africa for Ubuntu is from there? Invade China for they produce their own Linux variant known as "Red Flag"? Invade Thailand and India and Pakistan, for they produce their own Linux variants too?
Good luck with that. Your military will be very busy the next 2000 years or so
rerushg wrote: "privatization of the internet"
(Note: Sarcasm levels at 100% ...) That would be great !!!!!!
That would mean that USA forks off their parts of the Internet and the rest of the world would then be free of spam!! (70% or so of all spam mails originate in the USA ...). I suggest we Europeans call our part "EuroNet" or something like that, link it up with Asia and Africa and let our economies prosper whereas the Americans may enjoy their DRM- and patent-infested small bubble of the Internet ...
rerushg wrote: Perhaps MS is developing the software mechanisms that will assure the government that the objectives of the laws can be met. Perhaps MS is therefore entitled to own those mechanisms. Hmmmmmm.
I hope you will enjoy your small Internet bubble then. If the USA cuts off their parts of the Internet and places it under MS rule than this would also mean that Microsoft's web sites are not reachable anymore from Europe. Yipppieeeh. 400+ million new Linux users: All the people currently using Windows would be unable to continue using this OS as they won't be able to reach the update servers anymore. They would be looking for alternatives and switch to Linux.
And the EU would then of course declare Microsoft a criminal organisation (such DRM software probably wouldn't sit well with the EU commissions ...) and outlaw all this Microsoft stuff on European soil. How wonderful!
rerushg wrote: while the real demise of Desktop Linux is been formulated behind closed doors somewhere.
This is impossible as you hopefully realise by now. No matter what they do. They cannot "stop" Linux
They can force vendors such as Dell or HP to stop ditributing Linux pre-installed on their products, sure ... But that still isn't the "demise" of desktop Linux, people can still download it if they want to
If you're too afraid I suggest you use a friendly European server