Microsoft Makes a deal with former Lindows

The irony is the only word which cames to my mind after reading this news: Microsoft decided to buy a certain company, 2 years after they sued them and earned $20 million from them. The two companies made peace in 2004, with Linspire agreeing to shed its Lindows name and Microsoft paying the company $20 million. Linspire also got the right to use certain Windows Media codecs and settled Microsoft’s trademark infringement claims. Under the latest deal, the two will be working more closely in a variety of areas, including instant messaging and Web search. In addition, purchasers of Linspire’s paid Linux version will get intellectual property protection against any legal action by Microsoft for using the Linux desktop software.

Linspire doesn’t plan to include either the Microsoft technology or the patent protection in its no-charge Freespire product. Microsoft has noted that Linux protections have been part of its recent cross-licensing pacts, including patent-swap deals with LG, Samsung and Fuji Xerox. As part of the deal, Linspire will make Microsoft’s Live Search the default search engine in Linspire and will get an extension to its license of the Windows Media technology, including access to Windows Media 10 codecs. Microsoft also will license some fonts and voice over IP technology for use in instant messaging, while Linspire will join an effort to create translators between Office 2007’s XML file formats and the OpenDocument format. The computer world is getting smaller and smaller everyday with few rising giants getting a real power…

Source: ZDnet, Forbes