jonfr - Slashdot User

Submission + - Microsoft makes claim on Linux code

Submitted by

jonfr

on Monday November 20, 2006 @08:20PM

jonfr writes: "The Register tells us that Microsoft has started to claim to own Linux code. Here is part of the news.

"Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has said that every user of the open source Linux system could owe his company money for using its intellectual property. The statement will confirm the worst fears of the open source community. Microsoft recently signed a deal for SUSE Linux, a Novell-owned distribution of the Linux operating system. The two companies pledged that they would improve the interoperability of their products. Open source advocates were amazed at the deal, but Ballmer's comments could vindicate the suspicions of some. Ballmer said in a question and answer session at a technology conference that Microsoft signed the deal because Linux "uses our intellectual property" and it wanted to "get the appropriate economic return for our shareholders from our innovation"."

The rest of the news can be read here."

Submission + - Florida ballot terminals favor Republicans

Submitted by

jonfr

on Wednesday November 01, 2006 @09:48AM

jonfr writes: "According to The Register, it appears that Florida electronic voteing machinces prefer Republicans, even when voters try to vote for Democrats. From the news artical.

"Florida voters using electronic ballot machines are having persistent problems choosing Democrats in early elections, the Miami Herald reports. The touch-screen gizmos seem strangely attracted to Republican candidates. One voter needed assistance from an election official, and even then, needed three tries to convince the machine that he wanted to vote for Democrat Jim Davis in the gubernatorial race, not his Republican opponent Charlie Crist."

I guess that voteing with paper and pen is not a bad idea after all. More on this news here."

Submission + - Windows Vista EULA lockin

Submitted by jonfr on Monday October 30, 2006 @05:31AM

jonfr writes: The Register is telling a news about Windows Vista EULA and the lockin that is store for the users of the newest version of the Windows Os. Here is a part from the news artical.

" The next version of Windows is just around the corner, so the next time we discuss software licensing in my course, the EULA for Vista will be front and center. You can read the Microsoft Vista EULA yourself by going to the official Find License Terms for Software Licensed from Microsoft page and searching for Vista. I know many of you have never bothered to read the EULA — who really wants to, after all? — but take a few minutes and get yourself a copy and read it. I'll wait.

Back? It's bad, ain't it? Real bad. I mean, previous EULAs weren't anything great — either as reading material or in terms of rights granted to end users — but the Vista EULA is horrendous."

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