Re: CSRG archives

[Alexander Terekhov]

Hyman Rosen wrote:
> 
> On 3/23/2010 6:08 PM, RJack wrote:
> > List all the patents nullified by the GPLv3 as of 3/23/2010:
> 
> There probably will never be any. The point was to
> prevent the release of ostensibly free software whose
> freedom would subsequently be restricted by the releaser
> through the assertion of patent claims.
> 
> > Microsoft released this statement in order to take the
>  > heat off Novell's co-operating with them in July 2007.
> 
> Yes. Causing that heat was part of the motivation for
> creating GPLv3.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/mar10/03-03iodatapr.mspx

"REDMOND, Wash., and KANAZAWA, Japan — March 3, 2010 — Microsoft Corp.
and I-O Data Device Inc. have entered into an agreement that will
provide I-O Data’s customers with patent coverage for their use of I-O
Data’s products running Linux and other related open source software.

Specifically, the patent covenants apply to I-O Data’s network-attached
storage devices and its routers, which run Linux. Although the details
of the agreement have not been disclosed, the parties indicated that
Microsoft is being compensated by I-O Data.

“We’re pleased to reach this agreement with I-O Data,” said David
Kaefer, general manager of Intellectual Property Licensing at Microsoft.
“Microsoft has a strong track record of collaboration with companies
running Linux-based offerings, and this agreement is a reflection of our
commitment to partner with industry leaders around the world.”

This patent agreement is an extension of the strong relationship between
Microsoft and I-O Data in both the consumer and enterprise markets. The
companies recently worked together on a Windows 7 marketing campaign,
and I-O Data released one of the industry’s first Windows 7 API-based
sensors, which automatically detects when a person enters or leaves an
office or room.

Microsoft’s Commitment to IP Collaboration

This patent agreement is another example of the important role that
intellectual property (IP) plays in ensuring a healthy and vibrant IT
ecosystem. Since Microsoft launched its IP licensing program in December
2003, the company has entered into more than 600 agreements and
continues to develop programs that make it possible for customers,
partners and competitors to access its IP portfolio. The program was
developed to open access to Microsoft’s significant research and
development investments and its growing, broad patent and IP portfolio.
In recent years, Microsoft has entered into patent agreements with other
leading companies that use Linux for their embedded devices, including
Brother International Corp., Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd., Kyocera Mita Corp., LG
Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and TomTom International BV.

More information about Microsoft’s licensing programs is available at .

About I-O Data Device Inc.

Founded in 1976, I-O Data Device Inc., based in Kanazawa, Japan, is a
leading provider of peripheral devices for personal computers and
digital consumer electronics. For more information about I-O Data Device
and its products, please visit www.iodata.com.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from
Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at
http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles
were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For
additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s
Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at
http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx. "

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2010/02/microsoft-amazon-patent-deal-covers-kindle-linux.ars

"Microsoft-Amazon patent deal covers Kindle, Linux
By Emil Protalinski | Last updated February 22, 2010 8:47 PM
Microsoft and Amazon.com have signed a wide-ranging patent
cross-licensing agreement that provides each company with access to the
other's patent portfolio. Specific terms of the agreement were not
disclosed, but it was made clear that Amazon will be paying Microsoft an
undisclosed amount of money as part of the arrangement. While Microsoft
wouldn't say which of its products and technologies Amazon is interested
in, Microsoft did mention that Amazon's Kindle, which employs open
source and proprietary software components, as well as Amazon's use of
Linux-based servers are covered. 

Neither company would officially disclose why the deal was struck today.
"We are pleased to have entered into this patent license agreement with
Amazon.com," Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft's corporate vice president and
deputy general counsel for Intellectual Property and Licensing, said in
a statement. "Microsoft's patent portfolio is the largest and strongest
in the software industry, and this agreement demonstrates our mutual
respect for intellectual property as well as our ability to reach
pragmatic solutions to IP issues regardless of whether proprietary or
open source software is involved." 

It's possible that Amazon agreed to signing the deal to avoid
patent-infringement lawsuits from Microsoft. The mention of Kindle and
Linux is not likely to be coincidental: the software giant has put
extensive work into tablets and e-readers of various form factors and
has previously claimed that Linux infringes on its patented
technologies, although it has never specified which patents it believes
the Linux stack and kernel violate (the software giant did sue GPS maker
TomTom over the FAT file format). The companies may have decided to
shake hands in these areas but their biggest competitive space will
likely remain the cloud: Windows Azure versus Amazon EC2. 

Microsoft says it has reached more than 600 licensing agreements since
launching its intellectual-property licensing program in December 2003. 

Further reading

 • Microsoft and Amazon.com Sign Patent Agreement (microsoft.com) "

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/feb10/02-22MSAmazonPR.mspx

"REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 22, 2010 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that
it has signed a patent cross-license agreement with Amazon.com Inc. The
agreement provides each company with access to the other’s patent
portfolio and covers a broad range of products and technology, including
coverage for Amazon’s popular e-reading device, Kindle™, which employs
both open source and Amazon’s proprietary software components, and
Amazon’s use of Linux-based servers. Although specific terms of the
agreement are confidential, Microsoft indicated that Amazon.com will pay
Microsoft an undisclosed amount of money under the agreement.

“We are pleased to have entered into this patent license agreement with
Amazon.com,” said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy
general counsel for Intellectual Property and Licensing at Microsoft.
“Microsoft’s patent portfolio is the largest and strongest in the
software industry, and this agreement demonstrates our mutual respect
for intellectual property as well as our ability to reach pragmatic
solutions to IP issues regardless of whether proprietary or open source
software is involved.”

The licensing agreement is another example of the important role IP
plays in ensuring a healthy and vibrant IT ecosystem. Since Microsoft
launched its IP licensing program in December 2003, the company has
entered into more than 600 licensing agreements and continues to develop
programs that make it possible for customers, partners and competitors
to access its IP portfolio. The program was developed to open access to
Microsoft’s significant R&D investments and its growing, broad patent
and IP portfolio. In recent years, Microsoft has entered into similar
agreements with other leading companies, including Apple Inc., HP, LG
Electronics, Nikon Corp., Novell Inc., HOYA CORPORATION PENTAX Imaging
Systems Division, Pioneer Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Fuji
Xerox Co. Ltd. 

More information about Microsoft’s licensing programs is available at
http://www.microsoft.com/iplicensing.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
their full potential.

For more information, press only:

Rapid Response Team, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide for Microsoft, (503)
443-7070, rrt@waggeneredstrom.com


Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from
Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at
http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles
were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For
additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s
Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at
http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx. "


regards,
alexander.

P.S. "I'm insufficiently motivated to go set up a GNU/Linux system 
so that I can do the builds."

Hyman Rosen <hyrosen@mail.com> The Silliest GPL 'Advocate'

P.P.S. "Of course correlation implies causation! Without this 
fundamental principle, no science would ever make any progress."

Hyman Rosen <hyrosen@mail.com> The Silliest GPL 'Advocate'

--
http://gng.z505.com/index.htm 
(GNG is a derecursive recursive derecursion which pwns GNU since it can 
be infinitely looped as GNGNGNGNG...NGNGNG... and can be said backwards 
too, whereas GNU cannot.)