

EFF Supports Microsoft in Seeking to Make it Easier to Invalidate Patents - there
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/09/eff-supports-microsoft-seeking-make-it-easier

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fendrak
You know, I'm always impressed with the clarity that the EFF posts explain
their situations and how they affect them/us. If every group took such trouble
to explain their cause, they'd have more supporters by the simple virtue that
people could actually understand what they're saying, rather than wading
though mountains of misdirection and propaganda.

Or maybe I'm just so used to wading through the EFF's particular brand of
misdirection and propaganda that I don't notice it anymore...

~~~
wtallis
EFF has a conceptually simple mission, and the things are trying to accomplish
are generally good for the public at large, so they have nothing to hide
behind doublespeak. Most "special interests" would be harmed by a large
portion of the general public understanding the full implications of their
goals, but the EFF is really in it for the good of normal individuals.

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bpm140
I know we're probably going to see a lot of "Wha? Microsoft are a bunch of
hypocrites!" in this thread and I urge everyone to just think of how great
things would be going forward if we can see some changes like this.

We can't change the past, but we can sure as hell change the future. Glad to
see MS trying to lend a hand.

~~~
frisco
This is Microsoft trying to invalidate a patent they don't like, not them
"trying to lend a hand". It just happens to overlap with our interests. Which
is exactly what they _should_ be doing, as a corporation.

~~~
InclinedPlane
Microsoft doesn't have a history of patent lawsuit trolling. To the degree
that Microsoft does seek software patents it is generally as a matter of
defense against other large corporations.

I think the possibility that MS might be trying to do the right thing here,
for everybody not just themselves, is reasonably high and shouldn't be
dismissed. At the end of the day MS is a developer centric company, they pride
themselves on the ability to make things, and patents are an annoying side
show to that.

~~~
TwoSheds
There were at least these cases which seem trollish:

MS vs. TomTom

[http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/chewing-the-fat-in-
the-m...](http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/chewing-the-fat-in-the-
microsoft-vs-tomtom-case/2241)

MS vs. Salesforce

[http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2341-microsoft-patent-
trolls-...](http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2341-microsoft-patent-trolls-
salesforce)

~~~
nene
Indeed... Believing Microsoft won't patent-troll is like believing Oracle when
they say'd they're against Software Patents. It's just a matter of time when
some CEO will notice a good opportunity to make money with patents.

But I digress... Currently Microsoft isn't doing anything evil. Making
software patents harder to get is clearly a step in the right direction.

But it's far from Microsoft saving us all from software patents.

~~~
praptak
_"Currently Microsoft isn't doing anything evil."_

Heh, heh:
[http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_on_the_issues/archive/2...](http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_on_the_issues/archive/2010/10/01/microsoft-
sues-motorola-over-android-patent-infringements.aspx)

No longer true.

