Microsoft TomTom Suit Draws Fire From Open-Source Leaders

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Microsoft TomTom Suit Draws Fire From Open-Source Leaders
By Darryl K. Taft
2009-03-02

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Microsoft's lawsuit against TomTom is drawing fire from Linux and open-source software experts such as Bruce Perens and Jim Zemlin. Perens calls the lawsuit a FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) campaign. And Zemlin calls on the open-source community to be calm and hope for the best, but also to prepare for the worst.

Now that Microsoft has leveled a lawsuit against TomTom in what many see as a shot across the bow at Linux and open-source software, open-source experts such as Bruce Perens and Jim Zemlin are weighing in with their views of the situation.

In a piece written for Datamation, Perens, who created the Open Source Definition and is the CEO of a stealth-mode startup named Kiloboot, said: "The products in question incorporate Linux, and at least one of the seven patents involved concerns a Linux kernel implementation rather than TomTom's own software. Is this Microsoft's first direct salvo against Linux?"

Moreover, like many observers, Perens notes the maturity of the patents in question:

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"There are other striking features of this suit: the technologies claimed in the eight patents involved are so old and obvious that it's fair to say they have a high 'Duh!' factor. There's an anti-trust angle to this suit that could blow up in Microsoft's face. And there's a high probability that some or all of the patents involved are invalid, due to recent court decisions."

Perens asks if this is a serious suit or an effort to stir up FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt).

Read the rest of this article on eWEEK.com.



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