[NTLUG:Discuss] MicroSoft Goes Open?

[Daniel Hauck]

Stan Gatchel wrote:
> What's your take on this? Big splash in the news yesterday.
> 
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/21/microsoft_goes_open/
> 

Microsoft realizes now that they cannot delay the EU legal attacks or 
effectively buy EU government support and so they are doing what they 
have to do to survive in that market.

They will try to enforce nonsense agreements that will invariably be 
void or unenforceable in Europe, but will find itself working very well 
in the U.S.  In the end, it will not make much difference but there 
might be lawyer letters sent to various project participants here in the 
U.S. when people use the information they provide in their 
implementation of "M.S. Patented Technologies."  But I don't think it 
will go beyond lawyer letters.