10 Types Of People

You may remember a while ago, Microsoft started to try and sue TomTom for its use of the Linux Kernel and the Fat filesystem (in a big mess of patents that noone totally understands). Well, TomTom then decided to try and sue Microsoft over their mapping system. Supposodly it breaks a TomTom patent. Ok, so noone likes suing and patents, but that is only part of what TomTom has done which has made them into my Good Companies list.

TomTom joined the Open Invention Network. This is a group of companies (such as Red Hat, IBM, Google, etc) who joined together to share patents and fight Microsoft and Apple essentially. By joining the Open Invention Network, TomTom promise to not sue any other companie in the Open Invention Network and to help fight any companies trying to sue another companie in the Network. In return for this, TomTom get the protection of all the other companies in the Network. The only other requirement is they have to have something to do with Linux or Open Source software.

This is a great move, because, by doing this, it stops TomTom being able to make a patent deal with Microsoft, and shows that TomTom are really willing to fight Microsoft. This is great, because now we will see if Microsoft really has anything, or if it is just scaremongering. I think this is fantastic and I am very happy with TomTom, and for this reason, they are now on my Good Companies list. Good on ya TomTom

You may remember a while ago, Microsoft started to try and sue TomTom for its use of the Linux Kernel and the Fat filesystem (in a big mess of patents...

Ok, so I just read in Linux Format for this month, that IBM have spoken out saying that they are going to be working with linux based companies (Canonical, Novell, Red Hat) and some hardware vendors (doesn’t specify what) to work towards creating a “World without windows”.

Basically, they said that they didn’t like Windows Vista, and that a lot of customers have been asking for linux computers. They mention the fact that Sub-notebooks (Asus EEE PC, Dell E, Webbook) have linux on them by default is another reason that they have decided this.

One thing that IBM has created recently is “Lotus Symphony”. Now, I have yet to try this out, but basically it is described as “giving OpenOffice.org an Office 2007-esque Ribbon controller”. So its like Office 2007? Not sure whether that is a good thing or not, but if it is a way of taking people off Microsoft Office and onto OpenOffice.org…I’m happy. I don’t think I will like it myself, but then thats one of the things I love about open source – the choice.

Ok, so I just read in Linux Format for this month, that IBM have spoken out saying that they are going to be working with linux based companies (Canonical, Novell,...