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On Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:42:12 +0100
Neil Stone <neil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hello Neil,
> How the hell can they threaten legal action without being specific
> about what laws/patents have been broken ?
Threat of Patent Litigation = Fear. Microsoft are relying on that.
All a patent allows is the holder to protect their idea, invention,
whatever. It doesn't do this automatically, however. The holder has to
go through the courts to prove any infringement. This takes money.
Usually, lots of it. Microsoft are known to have massive amounts of
money to pursue such things. Amazon and their ilk could easily be
bankrupted by such actions when they're taking on Microsoft. Further,
by being vague, Microsoft put the ball in the court of those they're
threatening to find the "violation(s)". Again, this take money.
Usually, lots of it. Money that Amazon (okay, maybe they have) et al
probably haven't got. So, it's simply more expedient (from their POV)
to settle out of court and pay a license fee.
It's often those with the biggest legal fund that win, not those that
are right.
A certain other company tried similar tactics, but without Microsoft's
reputation or clout. They're now a laughing stock and, virtually, dead.
--
Regards _
/ ) "The blindingly obvious is
/ _)rad never immediately apparent"
I'll be the rubbish you'll be the bin
Love Song - The Damned
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