[Fsfe-ie] HP Memo Predicts MS Patent Attacks on Open Source

[Adam Moran]

Hi,

This news is old news in that it appeared on Slashdot at the beginning 
of the week:

http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/04/07/20/0055233.shtml?tid=155&tid=109&tid=123

... and the memo itself is 2 years old. ( Full story and memo text here: 
http://www.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=04/07/19/2315200 )

One bit of the article relates to SWPATs, although it's tagged as 
speculation:

> Although the patent attacks have still not been launched, some speculate that it is only a matter of time. One well-known figure in the open source community, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told us:
> 
>     "MS had to hold off due to anti-trust prosecution in the EU and US, and also they didn't want to create bad news for new European software patenting laws before they got what they wanted. Now they have the prospect of being able to prosecute the same patents in Europe ..."

--
Adam M