As I’ve stated, Microsoft’s patent litigation against TomTom isn’t even an issue. It happens all the time and either TomTom will license the technology in question, the court will throw it out, or it will be settled before it gets to court.
The real issue is that Microsoft is targeting patents derived from the open source Linux operating system–specifically file naming procedures–in its suit. As a company that has long rubbed the open source community the wrong way with its proprietary nature, this was bound to explode. And what makes it even more volatile is Microsoft’s public admissions as of late, through its loose-tongued chief executive Steve Ballmer, that it is working to embrace open source in its business strategy.
While Microsoft has stated that this patent dispute is not part of a greater bid to go after the Linux community in its entirety, the Linux Foundation is ready should Microsoft try.
In a blog post today, Linux Foundation executive director Jim Zemlin put it all into perspective. As the article’s title reads, “Calm Down, Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst.” As Zemlin points out, Microsoft has clarified that the TomTom suit isn’t the first shot in a massive Linux brawl. It is what it is, a patent suit against TomTom. But Zemlin and the Linux community are well aware of the capabilities of a monster like Microsoft, and will be watching the proceedings with a close eye.
Zemlin states that he “hope(s) that Microsoft will realize that cases like these only burden the software industry and do not serve their customers’ best interests” and while it seems on occasion that Microsoft couldn’t care less, he also says the “Linux Foundation is working closely with our partner the Open Invention Network, and our members, and is well prepared for any claims against Linux…we are closely watching the situation and will remain ready to mount a Linux’s defense, should the need arise.”
What do you think the ultimate outcome will be?
