Open Source Blog

"We've had an issue, a problem that we've had to confront, which is because of the way the GPL works, and because open-source Linux does not come from a company - Linux comes from the community - the fact that that product uses our patented intellectual property is a problem for our shareholders."

"And we agreed on a, we call it an IP bridge, essentially an arrangement under which they pay us some money for the right to tell the customer that anybody who uses SUSE Linux is appropriately covered. There will be no patent issues. They've appropriately compensated Microsoft for our intellectual property, which is important to us. In a sense you could say anybody who has got Linux in their data center today sort of has an undisclosed balance sheet liability, because it's not just Microsoft patents."

"Only a customer who has SUSE Linux actually has paid properly for the use of intellectual property from Microsoft."
Steve Ballmer, Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) summit, 16 November.

"We don't believe it's constructive to identify specific products and start labeling them as infringing when responsible companies show an ability to manage patent issues privately."
David Kaefer, Microsoft patent attorney, Wall Street Journal et al, 16 November.

“We’ve struck a deal under which we can provide patent agreements to Linux customers in which Microsoft’s intellectual property is respected, and we are appropriately compensated for the use of our intellectual property.”
Steve Ballmer, Microsoft/Novell press conference, 2 November.

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