"Much of the communication on the Internet happens between computers according to standards that define common languages.

I wanted to share with you a conversation I've been having with a retired EU patent attorney with hands-on experience with the US patent system as well. He was in the pharmaceutical field, where patents are All, of course, and so he presented me with a wonderful opportunity to learn. I asked him if I could please share what I'm learning with you, and he said I could.

I'm a wee bit tired by patent FUD and other substitutes for real competition from Microsoft. Microsoft has built a great business on comparatively good products. Yet in its old age, it seems incapable of competing on customer value and instead keeps fetishing its patent portfolio, as if anyone but its lawyers care about those.

There appear to be a few parallels between what SCO did and what Microsoft is blustering about. They are both concerned about their so called ownership of intellectual property. They both threatend the suppliers and end users of Linux with lawsuits and fines. They both made deals with certain companies to exempt those companies from their browbeating.

Apparently the number of patents that GNU/Linux infringes is on the decline as shown by this short piece on lxer

After reading an InformationWeek article about Steve Ballmer suggesting, yet again, that GNU/Linux users - or at least the Red Hat users - owe Microsoft money for violating patents he, yet again, refuses to disclose. But Ballmer is missing something - or maybe I am.

The head of the Open Invention Network (OIN) has dismissed Microsoft's claims that Linux violates over 200 of its patents.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a technology patent case that has the potential to throw the entire technology supply chain into upheaval -- or prompt closer adherence to technology licensing terms.