Microsoft secretly funding Linux patent lawsuits
Thursday, March 4th, 2004You may have been following the efforts of SCO, a corporation that is trying to collect license fees from the users of the free Linux operating system. SCO claims Linux users are in violation of SCO patents, and have been spending millions in legal fees to extort from Linux users. Where ever did SCO get the money? Not, certainly, from producing quality products. Turns out the money has been funneled through third parties by Microsoft. An article today on Slashdot reports on a leaked memo from a SCO whistleblower that proves Microsoft has raised $86 million for SCO’s efforts to destroy Linux, the main threat to Microsoft’s monopoly.
Only the dollar figure, much larger than previously rumored, is a surprise. Capitalists love to talk about the curative powers of a free marketplace. When it doesn’t give them what they want, though, they go straight to the government with their hand out. What the so-called free market won’t deliver, they can get in court or in the legislature.
Are you running Windows? Isn’t it about time you switched to Linux and told Microsoft to go to hell?
