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by Mike Masnick

Mon, Jul 19th 2004 10:50am





Microsoft Now Owns Lindows

from the well-that-settles-that dept

Well after a lengthy an often childish (on both sides) battle over the name Lindows, Microsoft has finally realized that every time they try to beat Michael Robertson in court, they're just giving him more free publicity. This is, of course, exactly what he wanted. So, to just settle the damn thing once and for all, Microsoft has bought out the Lindows name for $20 million. Of course, this works out great for Lindows... er... Linspire, as well. They basically get a $20 million investment with no dilution or strings attached -- plus a bit more publicity due to this deal.

9 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    Open Source on its head

    identicon
    dorpus, Jul 19th, 2004 @ 11:25am

    So now we have Microsoft and IBM making professional versions of Linux? The energy, the vitality of the open source movement was used against itself -- corporations can make polished, proprietary versions.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Re: Open Source on its head

    identicon
    alternatives, Jul 19th, 2004 @ 11:55am

    So now we have Microsoft and IBM making professional versions of Linux?

    Please provide proof of this statement.

    corporations can make polished, proprietary versions.

    You say that like it is a bad thing.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    No Subject Given

    identicon
    Doofus, Jul 19th, 2004 @ 1:41pm

    UUUH...read it again. Microsoft only bought the name "Lindows" so that no one, including Linspire, could use it.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Help!

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jul 19th, 2004 @ 4:06pm

    Please, can someone explain if that $20MM just stopped all legal processes that would have ultimately invalidated the Trademark on the generic term "Windows".



    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Re: Help!

    identicon
    alternatives, Jul 19th, 2004 @ 4:45pm

    Ask Dorpus, as she seems to know all.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    And for everything else

    identicon
    Colin Klenner, Jul 19th, 2004 @ 5:41pm

    There is mastercard...

    LOL

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    No Subject Given

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jul 20th, 2004 @ 4:22am

    so who is going to startup linux distros called bindows, cindows, dindows, findows, ... there's 20m foreach apparently.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  

    apt...

    identicon
    thecaptain, Jul 20th, 2004 @ 5:10am


    http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20040720

    I love this...

    Basically Microsoft looks like an idiot, gives a linux company what is essentially free money.

    Works for me.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  

    Re: No Subject Given

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jul 20th, 2004 @ 7:09am

    yaeh probably we will see other com[anies coming up with things like winbows, wincows and then geting away with $20m

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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