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The elusive, royalty-free patent licence for Mono
,----[ Quote ]
| How difficult or easy is it to obtain one of the much-touted "royalty-free,
| reasonable and non-discriminatory" licences for Microsoft patents that are
| part of a technology like Mono?
|
| Judging by the frequency with which references are made to such licences by
| those who back Novell vice-president Miguel de Icaza's bid to create an open
| source clone of Microsoft's .NET development environment, it's surprising
| that no-one has ever ventured to test this claim.
|
| The idea of trying to find out what was involved arose after reading a nearly
| nine-month old, well-written post defending the use of Mono and mocking its
| detractors. The author, Jo Shields, is a Debian developer and works for
| Oxford University.
|
| [...]
|
| He replied two days later, pointing out, "Ecma does not have anything to do
| with possible licensing of .NET. But Microsoft is one of our members, so I
| have asked them whom to contact there – if anything is needed, what I just do
| not know."
|
| Dr Sebestyn added: "My contact at Microsoft said that you should contact
| Peggy Moloney there, who would be able to help you."
|
| I wrote to Ms Moloney on April 28, asking for the same information: "I
| understand that the terms of the licences to the patents which Microsoft
| holds on the .NET development platform permit people to obtain a
| royalty-free, reasonable and non-discriminatory licence to use them. I would
| be grateful if you let me know exactly how one obtains such a licence."
|
| I also asked her about the variance in the terms for the licensing of
| Moonlight, a clone of Microsoft's Silverlight, using which the company hopes
| to capture the market that is dominated by Adobe's Flash. De Icaza is behind
| this project as well.
|
|
| [...]
|
| There's a been a deafening silence since then. There the matter stands after
| nearly a month. You would think that's a decent period for anyone to think
| things through and respond - if the intention of doing so exists.
|
| To me, it looks this licence is as real as the unicorn. Or maybe Santa Claus.
| I think Mono fans need to think of a fresh defence when people talk about the
| dangers of patent suits arising over this technology. The licence talk has
| worn more than a little thin.
`----
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/25215/1090/
ECMA is corrupt. The OOXML scandals proved it.
Recent:
The Mono Crusade
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| Just before someone replies stating that a lot of ground is already patented,
| and cites - let’s say - Microsoft patents in COM that permeate the most
| popular pieces of software in Ubuntu, or stuff like that. Patent concerns are
| always there, and are there to stay. Still, what makes Mono different is the
| patent agreement itself.
|
| Only a dumbass may think that violating a patent that you didn’t know even
| existed and deliberately violating a patent you know about are the same
| thing.
|
| The agreement legitimates the patents existence and their validity concerns.
| Did I mention such agreement will also timeout in 2012 ? Will they renew it ?
| Or not ? Prepare yourself for a great suspense !
`----
http://www.stefanoforenza.com/the-mono-crusade/
Man oh Man oh Mono
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| Well lo and behold what happens? Microsoft comes out against Tom Tom and
| three of the 7 patents they claim infringe target technologies used in the
| Linux kernel and technology built on top of Linux. Fat patents and Windowing
| environment are at stake here.
|
| [...]
|
| Alas, back to Mono and once again I must ask myself. Is if really worth it to
| dance with the beast? How many times are we going to ferry the scorpion
| across the river on our backs only to be stung each time we reach the shore?
| The old adage proclaims: “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on
| me.” We’ve been fooled way to many times now and I for one am sick of looking
| like an idiot.
|
| If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you always
| got. Microsoft has not changed it’s colors at all. Why should we continue to
| compromise?
`----
http://www.thelinuxlink.net/myblog/?p=173
Patent suit tells us why we should shun Mono, Moonlight
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| Microsoft has shown the world exactly how friendly it is towards open source
| by going to court to claim damages over patents which have been allegedly
| violated in an implementation of the Linux kernel. And that's a good reason
| why FOSS users should avoid Mono and Moonlight like the plague.
|
| [...]
|
| He was then asked by Mozilla engineering vice-president Mike Schroepfer
| whether there would be the same protection if one downloaded and then
| distributed the code for Moonlight
|
| "There is a patent covenant for anyone that downloads [Moonlight] from
| Novell," he answered and was then forced to admit that "as to extending the
| patents to third parties - you have to talk to Microsoft."
|
| That's exactly what Microsoft was saying to TomTom before it sued the GPS
| maker on Wednesday - talk to us and sign a licensing deal. Is that what FOSS
| users want to do - pay royalties for using software?
`----
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/23501/1090/
Related:
Mono, The Road To Hell: Final Proof
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| This is a Microsoft-branded piece of shit.
|
| Now, if there are still Linux users still loving Mono, and still believing
| they have anything in common with FREEDOM & Open Source, they're idiots like
| hell.
|
| Proofs of MALA FIDE from Microsoft's part:
|
| 1. NOBODY interested in a good-faith patent protection would restrict the
| protection to the downstream recipients of a UNIQUE source — but this is
| what Microsoft is doing!
|
| 2. NOBODY interested in a good-faith patent protection would restrict the
| protection to the UNMODIFIED AND USED "AS INTENDED" ("for the intended
| purpose") for an OPEN-SOURCE project — but this is what Microsoft is doing!
|
| 3. NOBODY interested in a good-faith patent protection would restrict the
| protection in any ways. Simply imposing restrictions means WHATEVER FALLS
| OUTSIDE THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS IS SUBJECT TO FEAR, UNCERTAINTY AND DOUBT!
|
| Yes, this is Microsoft. Yes, this covenant is ONLY and ONLY for the benefit
| of Novell's SLED and SLES, and for the benefit of openSUSE. This is for
| people to ONLY consider openSUSE as a "safe" Linux way to use Moonlight and
| Mono, and therefore to increase the penetration of SLED/SLES as "the" Linux
| for the Enterprise.
|
| This is the abjection of the Microsoft-Novell fascist conspiracy.
|
| Have a nice day.
`----
http://beranger.org/index.php?page=diary&2008/05/29/17/08/18-mono-the-road-to-hell-final-proo
Shining Some Light on Microsoft's Moonlight Covenant
,----[ Quote ]
| My conclusion now, after having reviewed it, is the same as I predicted. This
| is worthless and potentially harmful vapor-speak.
`----
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20080528133529454
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