It's on: Microsoft sues TomTom over Linux-powered GPS

For years, Microsoft's claimed that Linux violates patents it owns. Today it sued TomTom, maker of Linux-powered GPS devices, and three of its eight claims refer to file system patents which are among those MS claims Linux violates. Here's the Federal complaint and here's the complaint filed with the International Trade Comission. [via Techfish]

[#1 posted by wolfwitch , February 26, 2009 7:38 AM]

Microsoft can go copulate themselves with barbed-wire as far as I'm concerned. I hope they lose their asses on this one.

(Full disclosure: Yes, I'm a Linux AND TomTom fanboy.)

[#2 posted by dculberson , February 26, 2009 8:03 AM]

This sucks. They can afford a lot of lawyering.

[#3 posted by fredblotnic , February 26, 2009 3:14 PM]

i read the brief and was irritated. i think i shall create a patent for a computer system which operates a computer so vaguely so as to sue apple microsoft and companies distributed linux. i would hope a judge invalidates those patents. I am tired of vague patents for keeping out competition and i specifically dispise those used soley for generating revenue through court means. software patents need to go.

[#4 posted by Super Nate , February 27, 2009 5:41 PM]

Screw that, too lame. I'm applying for a patent for the use of vague patents as a means to sue other companies for supplemental revenue.

[#5 posted by Adam Keck , March 2, 2009 5:45 AM]

To all this I say: Quit yer whining.

For years everyone, in the FOSS community in particular, has been whining about the shortcomings of FAT16/32. Now everyone whines that Microsoft wants money for it. I challenge the FOSS community to create/adapt an alternative FS and write drivers for the major OSs, including an IFS driver for Windows* - all licensed in a way acceptable to hardware vendors. Lord knows, we have plenty of great existing FOSS FSs to pick from...

My .02,

-Ghostis