Re: Microsoft and TomTom settle

[7]

Rjack the stupid 1 wrote:

> "Microsoft and TomTom have settled their controversial patent
> dispute, which included allegations that the Linux kernel infringes
> on Microsoft's filesystem patents. TomTom has licensed the patents
> from Microsoft, but intends to remove from its Linux kernel the code
> that is covered by the patents."
> 
> http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/03
microsoft-and-tomtom-settle-patent-dispute.ars


That is one of the fastest settlements I have seen for a big corp.
Usually propellor heads will rachet up the ante all day and all
night for years before making a move.

I wonder what forced micoshaft to change their mind?

The bad publicity in combination with TomTom filing counter
suits, and then openly joining open source projects must have been very
unsettling. It was showing the world an example of how to deal with
Micoshaft Patent Terrorism in ways that could kill micoshaft
in any future struggle with patent terrorism activities.