[mdlug] Vista DRM hurts Linux?

[Michael S. Mikowski]

Hi Ray:

On Thursday 29 March 2007, Ingles, Raymond wrote:
> > From: Michael S. Mikowski
> >
> > Aaron, I'm with Ray on this.  For example, MS has made noise
> > /for years/ about patent infringement by OSS on MS software.
> > Why, then, haven't they pursued /any/ direct legal action?*
> >
> > Because the dirty little secret might be that MS 'proprietary'
> > software probably contains hundreds of bits of OSS code.
>
>  Patent and copyright infringement are very different things, but OSS
> groups have been gathering some defensive patents lately, and
> companies that make money off of Linux (like IBM) have *very* large
> patent portfolios. Initiating serious patent infringement procedures
> against Linux would run the danger of initiating a "nuclear patent
> war".

While patent and copyright are very different forms of IP, I expect that 
pushing patents would open MS up for copyright scrutiny, which could 
have profound effects.

> >  It is already widely acknowledged, for example, that nt/2000/xp
> >  uses the BSD TCP/IP stack.
>
>  Well, that's not quite true. They *did*, from Windows 95 on, but my
> understanding is that by Vista the stack's been completely rewritten.

Yeah, I heard that too about Vista.  Regardless, the foundation was BSD.  
And yes, the license does allow for this kind of reuse.  Which is of 
course why MS loves BSD licenses but would never license its own 
product using it ;)  

My point is BSD is only publicly admitted because it is safe to admit.  
One wonders what other OSS is under the hood.

>  And the BSD license allows that. What's really funny is that
> Microsoft actually *bought* a copy of the BSD stack when they could
> have had it for free!
>
>  http://www.kuro5hin.org/?op=displaystory;sid=2001/6/19/05641/7357

(eat your own business-model-dog-food)  -- Thanks for the link!

Cheers, 

Mike
www.dynaorg.com