[ros-general] Microsoft wants royalties for use of FAT

[KJK::Hyperion]

At 19.30 06/12/2003, you wrote:
>>sorry, but this has to be the dumbest idea I've ever heard. Impressive: a 
>>way to piss off the FSF, Microsoft, the patent office and ReactOS users 
>>*at the same time*. Illegal too, I suspect.
>KJK - your commentary is always direct; I like that. I can see where the 
>FSF would not like this as it would require litigation to enforce.

the FSF supports the "we are smart! use our stuff, and slowly accept our 
politics" course of action. Yours is more like "we are smart! we are evil! 
use our stuff, get in legal trouble and bow to us!". I loathe both, but the 
FSF's way at least has some ethical basis. Not to mention the whole "fight 
patents with patents" thing. Let's say it would raise more than one eyebrow

>I don't see how this would upset ReactOS users.

did I say "users"? I meant "me"

>I also don't see anything illegal

in the license you say "you're free to redistribute", to the patent office 
you say "they're really not". I know patent are enforced only if and when 
the holder asks for it, but this is stretching the law pretty thin