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Is Linux at Risk from a Microsoft Patent Blitz?

Posted by TimSlavin at August 9, 2004

CNET has an excellent set of links that covers the threats to Linux, starting with patent arsenals. This probably is the best overview that I have seen on the topic.

Patents on software are a pox. They stifle innovation and provide benefits only to companies hell bent on supporting (or creating) monopolies. Consumers get much less new and better products. Software is one area where patents should be few and extremely rare. Startups, for one, rarely have huge legal budgets to match the monopolists.

In this case, it is possible that HP (which announced Linux on its PCs this week) and IBM will have the deep pockets required to fight off Microsoft and SCO. But I suspect that result is a fluke. Most of the time, challengers cannot play because they lack money and lawyers. The result is less innovation for consumers, less economic activity and benefits for everyone.

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