Reflection on what *actually* happened
Gentlemen, may I direct your attention away from Microsoft Patents back to what actually happened. Correct me if I'm wrong but what I see is:
Samsung violated the GPL and was caught red-handed.
They tried to use GPL'd code in one of their closed-source apps. The code leaked, and the evidence was there in plain sight to everybody. The guy that actually caught them was probably not the brightest star in the universe, but he created enough stir-up that the case got proper publicity. Samsung did the only sensible thing they can do at such a moment: properly release it open-source.
The patent debate is only between Micro$oft and Sam$ung. They will reach an agreement one way or the other...
This case shows me very frightening development: Big companies *do not care* about the GPL. They don't have to. Any GPL'd code out there is a free resource that they can exploit as they see fit. If they get caught --> damage control and a PR campaign for their "Open-Source Initiaitves".
Gentlemen, may I direct your attention away from Microsoft Patents back to what actually happened. Correct me if I'm wrong but what I see is:
Samsung violated the GPL and was caught red-handed.
They tried to use GPL'd code in one of their closed-source apps. The code leaked, and the evidence was there in plain sight to everybody. The guy that actually caught them was probably not the brightest star in the universe, but he created enough stir-up that the case got proper publicity. Samsung did the only sensible thing they can do at such a moment: properly release it open-source.
The patent debate is only between Micro$oft and Sam$ung. They will reach an agreement one way or the other...
This case shows me very frightening development: Big companies *do not care* about the GPL. They don't have to. Any GPL'd code out there is a free resource that they can exploit as they see fit. If they get caught --> damage control and a PR campaign for their "Open-Source Initiaitves".
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