Microsoft has long maintained that Linux infringes at least 235 of its patents, and it looks like it’s reaching deep into the bin for some extra ammo in a new case filed against TomTom over nav systems — of the eight alleged patent infringements in the complaint, five are specifically about portable navigation devices , while the remaining three cover what look to be filesystem-management techniques inherent to the Linux kernel itself. It seems like the Linux issue is less important to Redmond than the GPS patents — deputy general counsel Horacio Gutierrez says there aren’t any broader plans to go after Linux vendors and that it “respects and appreciates” open source — but if Microsoft scores a victory here, it’ll have an incredible advantage should it decide to take on any other Linux-based products. We’ll be following this one very closely, we’ll keep you in the loop.
[Via Business Insider]
Read – Techflash
Read – Microsoft complaint [PDF]
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops
Microsoft files patent lawsuit against TomTom over Linux-based GPS systems originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source:Microsoft files patent lawsuit against TomTom over Linux-based GPS systems
