Microsoft Plays out its Patents in Suing TomTom
Microsoft has filed a lawsuit against TomTom. The navigation systems vendor is allegedly violating eight Microsoft patents, three involving Linux.
A report in TechFlash announced Microsoft's patent claim against the portable GPS car navigation vendor TomTom Inc. The company produces navigation devices based on Linux and the lawsuit alleges that they violated five MS patents, three of them specific to Linux:
- Patent 5,579,517, Common Name Space for Long and Short Filenames, issued November 1996
- Patent 5,758,352, Common Name Space for Long and Short Filenames, issued May 1998
- Patent 6,256,642, Method and System for File System Management Using a Flash-Erasable, Programmable, Read-only Memory, issued July 2001
Microsoft claims that it tried many times to reach an agreement with TomTom over the patent rights. Not hearing from them, Microsoft decided to go ahead with the lawsuit.
The Redmond company has claimed for years that Linux violated around 230 of its patents. How the current three fit into this category only the courts can decide. We'll see if TomTom wants to go so far as to settle outside of them.
Issue 252/2021
Buy this issue as a PDF
News
-
GNOME 41 Has Arrived
The latest version of the GNOME desktop environment has been released with new functionality and plenty of improvements.
-
System76 Updates the 15" Pangolin with Ryzen
System76 announced they’re updating the Ryzen-powered Pangolin laptop to meet today’s need for more power.
-
KDE Plasma 5.23 Promises Plenty of Subtle Improvements
The next release of the KDE Plasma desktop includes new features, numerous improvements, and plenty of bug fixes.
-
GNOME 41 Beta is Now Available
The most popular open-source desktop environment is on the cusp of yet another new release, but don’t expect the massive changes found in the previous iteration.
-
Debian 11 “Bullseye” Now Available
The developers of Debian have released the latest version of the operating system so many distributions depend on.
-
Elementary OS 6 Odin Now Available
The developers of elementary OS have released their latest iteration which is all-in on Flatpaks and all about the user experience.
-
Kubuntu Focus Team Announces High-Performance Focus XE
The team behind the KDE-powered Linux laptops is now offering an ultra-portable laptop that doesn't skimp on performance.
-
Solus 4.3 Available for Download and Installation
The latest iteration from the Solus developers is out with kernel 5.13 and plenty of new features, bug fixes, and new hardware support.
-
Steam Deck Linux-Powered Gaming System Set to Take Over the Handheld World
A Linux and KDE-powered portable gaming platform is set to be released by Valve.
-
Linux Mint 20.2 Available and Better Than Ever
The developers of Linux Mint have gone a long way to perfecting the desktop experience.