Ubuntu Rejects Microsoft’s “Licensing” Deal
The folks at Ubuntu linux (which is an awesome distro, by the way) debunked rumors that Ubuntu might be next in line to sign the Microsoft patent licensing deal. Here’s what Mark Shuttleworth had to say:
There’s a rumour circulating that Ubuntu is in discussions with Microsoft aimed at an agreement along the lines they have concluded recently with Linspire, Xandros, Novell etc. … We have declined to discuss any agreement with Microsoft under the threat of unspecified patent infringements. Allegations of “infringement of unspecified patents” carry no weight whatsoever. We don’t think they have any legal merit, and they are no incentive for us to work with Microsoft on any of the wonderful things we could do together. A promise by Microsoft not to sue for infringement of unspecified patents has no value at all and is not worth paying for. It does not protect users from the real risk of a patent suit from a pure-IP-holder (Microsoft itself is regularly found to violate such patents and regularly settles such suits). People who pay protection money for that promise are likely living in a false sense of security.
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June 19th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Red Hat has joined Ubuntu in rejecting Microsoft’s patent deal.