Microsoft aims patent guns at Red Hat

Ok, time to buy a full-page ad in the NYT or USA Today _demanding_ Microsoft stop libeling F/OSS and show the patents.

Obviously redhat stockholders are all ears on this. Steve opens his mouth and the stock goes up 4%. It's all bs Steve, show us your patents mate!

Bob, just buy a couple of shares of Microsoft stock and bring it up at the next shareholder's meeting. A demand that management either sue Red Hat or stop making lies about their fiscal standing seems to be in order. I'm sure the shareholders would be interested.

I've been reading comments on this article elsewhere that point out that Bombers statements could be construed as illegal under both American and English law. How about filing lawsuits against Bomber _personally_?

Wasn't there an article recently about one of the Linux organizations saying "put up or shut up"? They might like donations for just such a public spread... I hope I can find it.

Whatever is contemplated, it has to be very public, large scale, and in the mainstream media. Microsoft will shrug off a response that is restricted to the Linux media, or even the IT media. As the other correspondent said, it must be a NYT or Wall Street Journal or USA Today spread, must be on a David vs. Goliath theme, etc.

Having Linus rebut it on the kernel mailing list won't have any effect, nor an extensive rebuttal in Linux Journal. Ideally a lawsuit, if grounds exist, one that drags out a few years bleeding news stories the whole time, might do the trick.

A job for Helios? *g*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGvHNNOLnCk

I would suggest blackmail, but as the above clip shows... Ballmer has no shame.