The Real Reason For Microsoft's TomTom Lawsuit 408
Glyn Moody writes "We now know that Microsoft's lawsuit isn't just against TomTom, but against Linux too: but what exactly is Microsoft hoping to achieve? Samba's Jeremy Allison has a fascinating theory: 'What people are missing about this is the either/or choice that Microsoft is giving Tom Tom. It isn't a case of cross-license and everything is ok. If Tom Tom or any other company cross licenses patents then by section 7 of GPLv2 (for the Linux kernel) they lose the rights to redistribute the kernel *at all*. Make no mistake, this is intended to force Tom Tom to violate the GPL, or change to Microsoft embedded software.' Maybe embedded Linux is starting to get too popular."
Re:Slashdot's Super Accurate Information Bandwagon (Score:3, Funny)
And yet we wonder why Kdawson hasn't been reprimanded.
He was reprimanded most severely. That is I mean I think he was. Actually I heard they denied him cake once. Well, someone I know said they read it.
I think.....
Re:Misleading title. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Misleading title. (Score:5, Funny)
Just get me release quality AD support via 2003 server and we will call it even.
You assume that you have the right to data created (Score:2, Funny)
You assume that you have the right to data created by apps you were using,
by pretending/believing/maintaining it is YOUR data,
when in fact it is the data of the proprietary apps.
From the legal perspective, you're making a long shot gamble, not an assertion of fact.
The data *before you put it into the app* was your data.
The data *the app created* belongs to the owner of the app.
Claiming e.g. YOU own the images in your camera's raw format is false: you don't.
You legally have copyright on the *visual pattern* of their display, not on the data in the file.
Poor you.
The OWNERS have rights, and individuals don't own the patent-world: corporates do.
hahahahaha.
Re:Say It Ain't So (Score:3, Funny)
Ironically, this article is about an 'Open' software license from a movement that is all about 'Freedom', and how TomTom doesn't have the right to exercise that 'Freedom'.
You know... I do believe that you must be the *very first person* to have realised that the GPL's perpetuation of certain freedoms is done by curtailing certain others at source, and to have contrasted this with BSD's approach.
Let's use this [encycloped...matica.com] as the start of an original and stimulating discussion on the subject. Or then again, heed the words of an exceptionally wise man and let's not [slashdot.org].
Also, an interesting thought that just occurred to me is that GPL has its own RIAA/MPAA/MediaSentry thing going, of course the EFF and FSF have not been evil, yet ...
Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
Re:Misleading title. (Score:3, Funny)