On 16th June, Mark Shuttleworth, the man behind Canonical and Ubuntu GNU/Linux, made a big post: "No Negotiations with Microsoft in Progress"
The post is about he refuses the Microsoft agreement to not sue anyone from any unknown patent infringement. The state is clear, he doesn't agree for signing against anything that unknown. Which is then the deal cannot be justified clearly.
Why Mark dares to take the challenge?
Reason #1
It would be troublesome for Microsoft if they put patent infringement against Cannonical. If Microsoft ever wins, then most likely Ubuntu and any GNU/Linux systems would be banned from US, but not the rest of the world, e.g. EU.
How could this happen?
The FOSS people like FSF most likely will bundle their important projects with many patents so that any of their works and derivatives would become useless to any company in the US. This would lock US companies to proprietary alternatives and the IT costs would climb up. Something like good old revenge would destroy US itself.
Besides,
Reason #2
Today's GNU/Linux usage have varied from Mainframes into any exotic handhelds e.g. PSP. This would beneficially benefits countries which embrace GNU/Linux. Their emerging industry would create customs gadgets and with lower cost which eventually making them market players. Except if Microsoft could buy the government.
Reason #3
Ubuntu #1 bug and the comitment of Canonical towards their ultimate products: Ubuntu, Xubuntu, and Kubuntu. Betraying their comitment would likely be a doom ticket. This is because if we think about the free softwares, we would think about zealots, hackers, and commoners that contribute significantly in the product. Crossing any of their beliefs would suffer in total losses of man power which eventually will degrade their software which end up as death penalty.
Well, there are many reasons, but the three would be sufficient enough.
The post is about he refuses the Microsoft agreement to not sue anyone from any unknown patent infringement. The state is clear, he doesn't agree for signing against anything that unknown. Which is then the deal cannot be justified clearly.
Why Mark dares to take the challenge?
Reason #1
It would be troublesome for Microsoft if they put patent infringement against Cannonical. If Microsoft ever wins, then most likely Ubuntu and any GNU/Linux systems would be banned from US, but not the rest of the world, e.g. EU.
How could this happen?
The FOSS people like FSF most likely will bundle their important projects with many patents so that any of their works and derivatives would become useless to any company in the US. This would lock US companies to proprietary alternatives and the IT costs would climb up. Something like good old revenge would destroy US itself.
Besides,
Reason #2
Today's GNU/Linux usage have varied from Mainframes into any exotic handhelds e.g. PSP. This would beneficially benefits countries which embrace GNU/Linux. Their emerging industry would create customs gadgets and with lower cost which eventually making them market players. Except if Microsoft could buy the government.
Reason #3
Ubuntu #1 bug and the comitment of Canonical towards their ultimate products: Ubuntu, Xubuntu, and Kubuntu. Betraying their comitment would likely be a doom ticket. This is because if we think about the free softwares, we would think about zealots, hackers, and commoners that contribute significantly in the product. Crossing any of their beliefs would suffer in total losses of man power which eventually will degrade their software which end up as death penalty.
Well, there are many reasons, but the three would be sufficient enough.
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