Ballmer's newest statements re: Red Hat and patents

[simo]

On Wed, 2007-10-10 at 12:50 +0200, Carsten Agger wrote:
> Do any of you see something new - as in, some action actually
> threatened, or signs of a "stepping up" - in Steve Ballmer's most
> recent statements?
> 
> http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2200717/microsoft-sharpens-aims-patent
> http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20071008205138925
> 
> To me it seems that by pointing a finger directly a Red Hat the effect
> of scaring business away from FOSS becomes more specific - and, in a
> way, more pointed that previously. Now it's not so much "there are
> some patents but we're not telling which" but rather "there are some
> patents and we're not telling which, but people using those products
> are going to have to pay up."
> 
> But is there any real harm done by it - except for the FUD? Or is the
> main harm done by such statements perhaps to Microsoft itself?

Given that Red Hat has a real indemnification program (that covers also
patent claims) it seem pure FUD to me.

Simo.