Microsoft, Linux join forces in software law debate

In an unusual twist, Microsoft and Linux have joined forces in a legal tussle.

The companies jointly sent a letter expressing their common disagreement with advice regarding software law that a group plans to send to judges.The American Law Institute (ALI), an association that develops documents meant to help guide judges as they make decisions on complicated legal subjects, is presenting a final draft of its guidelines for software contracts on Tuesday during its annual meeting. The document has been in the works since 2004 and if it is approved it will be published.

[jack who]

its a trap!!!!

[madpuppy]

the Linux foundation is an organization. why can't journalist get this right?

[Polluted]

@Madpuppy: That's pretty much exactly what I came in here to say. I tried explaining what Linux "is" to someone the other day and people just seem to have a really hard time wrapping their heads around it.

[AuToFiRE]

i agree with you polluted and madpuppy. people just cannot seem to understand the simplest of things, its almost like everyone has been brainwashed into thinking that a group of people that work on something is a company when in fact the Linux foundation is far from it, they are not out to make money, they are out to make the world better

[Kurylo3d]

u do realize the makers of linux ARE making money off of linux right? With the people selling other versions of linux they get a cut... with the advertising with it they get paid... Those guys are rich. I love how you look at them as saints out to help others rofl... They are helping themselves pretty damn good. Anything built off what they made ... they get paid for ....

[Polluted]

@Above guy: Founded in 2007, the Linux Foundation sponsors the work of Linux creator Linus Torvalds and is supported by leading Linux and open source companies and developers from around the world.

-Linux foundation website.

Companies like Redhat are making a few bucks supporting server editions of their products, but that's about it man. Go hit up wikipedia for more info in you're interested.

[AuToFiRE]

Linux isnt made by people who get paid to make it, Linux is made by people like you and me who have spare time, they add a little program here, fix a bug there, Linux has an estimated 30 million users which simply by sending your system specs to the main devs of that specific distro helps all linux distros. unlike with microsoft and apple, they have a couple thousand employees that are paid, a couple thousands is nowhere near as good as a couple million people making small fixes

[likedamaster]

"The mere fact that the Linux Foundation and Microsoft are joining forces may be viewed by some as remarkable," wrote Horacio Gutierrez

Hell has officially frozen over.

[zagibu]

This article make you think that Microsoft and the Linux world are constantly at war, and that this common cause is a remarkable achievement, when this is just the first time that Microsoft is supporting a reasonable cause. That's it.

[Narutone66]

you don't see everyday. One is an Open-Sourced organization and the other one profit oriented company. This will be good.

[RememberThe357]

I'm pretty sure hell isn't frozen over.

Maybe it's the global warming.

[Polluted]

Nah, where software law is concerned these guys could all get screwed over if they can't work together.

It's like if Ford and Toyota teamed up to stop a law from passing that requires automakers to offer 10 year, bumper to bumper warranties for free.

[bozebo]

As soon as I read "the two COMPANIES" I stopped reading...

[SpoonyRedMage]

That picture's awesome. That is all.