Microsoft got patent deal paid by Amazon for Linux

Amazon.com has joined a host of other companies using Linux to pay Microsoft as part of a patent cross-licensing arrangement.

What was Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO, thinking? Amazon just signed a patent cross-licensing deal that pays Microsoft intellectual property fees for, among other things, patents that cover Amazon’s Linux-based Kindle e-reader and its Linux servers. Too bad Microsoft has never, ever been able to show that its patents cover anything to do with Linux.

Not surprisingly, the wording of the February 22 announcement by Microsoft regarding its latest IP licensing deal doesn’t claim Amazon or Linux infringing (or even potentially infringing) on any Microsoft patents. Microsoft execs learned their lesson about doing that after CEO Steve Ballmer’s remarks contradicted claims by Novell execs in a patent-licensing arrangement a few years ago–right around the time Microsoft officials said free and open-source software violated 235 Microsoft patents.

But like other similar patent agreements Microsoft has struck with companies ranging from TomTom and Melco/Buffalo, to Samsung and Fuji Xerox, the deal with Amazon does cover open-source and Linux-based technologies–including the Kindle e-reader, which runs Linux.

Mind you, Microsoft has been trying to make people believe that Linux violates its patents for years now. Only an idiot would believe them though since Microsoft has never even tried to demonstrate that any of its patents actually apply to Linux.

Specific terms of the agreement are confidential. However, Amazon will pay Microsoft an undisclosed amount of money under the agreement.

According to Microsoft’s release, the Redmondians have entered into “more than 600 licensing agreements” for various pieces of its IP. The release cites not only companies who’ve signed agreements to head off potential patent-infringement cases, but also those who’ve done other cross-licensing deals, like Apple, HP and Nikon Corp.

With this deal done, Microsoft will be better able to bully other companies into paying them for the ‘privilege’ of using Linux. For Linux and open-source distributors, the Amazon/Microsoft deal sets a bad precedent. We can only hope that only companies will insist on seeing real proof of Microsoft’s baseless claims rather than simply paying Microsoft off.