Microsoft's Battle With Linspire Comes Full Circle As Companies
Sign Interoperability Deal  from the feeling-linspired? dept
After signing Linux interoperability/patent deals with Novell,
Xandros and LG, Microsoft is at it again. This time it's signed
a deal with an old enemy, Linux distributor Linspire, the
company formerly known as Lindows. Lindows was forced to change
its name after a long legal battle with Microsoft that mainly
served to elevate the company's profile (although it's not clear
that that's translated into much commercial success). The deal
looks pretty similar to Microsoft's previous deals, which means
that while it's technically structured as Linspire licensing
patents from Microsoft, it's probably Linspire that will come
out ahead either through some sort of payment or a boost in
business that Microsoft sends its way. Basically, ever since
Microsoft started talking again about Linux infringing on its
patents, it's been trying its hardest to rack up patent
licensees in order to give the ap