Torvalds talks tough on Microsoft, May 16, 2007

Linux founder and lead developer of the operating system, Linus Torvalds, has come out fighting in response to Microsoft's claims that Linux and free software violate hundreds of Microsoft's patents.

While experience tells us that Linux, no matter how light the distro, will not turn an old computer into a modern screamer, this will certainly be a step up for students who would not have otherwise had access to a PC at home.

At a New York press conference this morning, Zander introduced Linux-based "Rokr" and "Razr2" models, along with new top-level executives.

CrossOver 6.1, released May 15, enables enables Linux PCs and Apple Mactels to run more Windows applications and games, and with higher 3D performance, according to CodeWeavers.

An open source-based IT culture "would help Viet Nam save a huge amount of money on licensing computer software from foreign companies and it could provide a great chance to mobilise the creative ability of Vietnamese software programmers"...

Clearly, Redmond’s strategy isn’t intended to provoke warm fuzzies among Linux proponents. “Microsoft’s efforts to exert control over the Linux market absolutely infuriates Richard Stallman and the Linux market and the open source community in general,”

Is Microsoft's reviving of its patent threats against open source and Linux really something serious to worry over? Or is it a case of deja vu all over again and will Steve Ballmer's patent saber rattling come to nothing? Let's see what analysts and "experts" think.

Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz has blunted whatever public niceties existed between his company and Microsoft with a revealing attack on Redmond's lawsuit threats around open source software.

Mozilla Corp.'s Firefox browser will probably abandon support for older distributions of Linux, a company executive has said.

So the real question is this: is this in fact a patent cross license on specific patents after all? If it is, are we looking at a GPLv2 violation on its face?

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