Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) (MSFT) has given the most detailed description to date of the number of open-source computer programs it says infringe on its patents, but the company says it still prefers licensing deals with open-source developers, software distributors and users instead of legal action against them. I find it puzzling that Microsoft won't sue? Is it because there patent would not stand in court? It seem very reasonable since the recent KSR decision by the Supreme Court on obviousness means that suing anybody will result in a lot of those patents being thrown out.
If Microsoft were to start suing, it could also kick off a patent war on a grand scale. An organization called the Open Innovation Network, funded by IBM Corp., Red Hat Inc. (RHT) and others, has amassed a vast number of software patents. In the event of a Microsoft lawsuit against open source companies or customers, the OIN would retaliate in kind.
I'm also doing what Microsoft does best FUDD Fear Uncertainty Doubt and Disinformation. I guess Microsoft is also Schizophrenia, nobody asked them the right question, nobody pointed out that they answered there own question.
That would be an awesome court battle. The biggest in the world...EVER! On the scale of a Star Trek type inter galactic war. Can you imagine everybody shooting it out all over the Federal and World court systems? Holy Crap, it would be monumental and make 5th grade history books.
It seems Microsoft has not learned from SCO case. There headed in the same path that SCO is right now. To bad, Microsoft should remember that there in business to make software and not in the litigation business.