Re: microsoft vs. OSS on NPR

From: Michael Havens <bmike101@cox.net>
Subject: Re: microsoft vs. OSS on NPR
Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 09:27:51 -0700

> On Friday 18 May 2007 9:23 am, Dennis Kibbe wrote:
> > they will be required by the license to convey the patent protection to all
> > GNU/Linux users.
>
> My mind can't grasp this. What do you mean? To me you are being ambiguous.

Under GPLv3 to "convey" a work means "any kind of propagation that enables other parties to make or receive copies, excluding sublicensing."

M$ is selling coupons good for SUSE Linux so they are actually a Linux distributor (using the old GLPv2 term) and need to abide by the GPL which means that if they give a patent license to some (Novell's customers) they must give it to all.
Quoting from section 11:

a "patent license" means ... a covenant not to bring suit for patent infringement...

So Micro$oft's attempt to divide and conquer the F/OSS community will fail.

Dennisk
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