[galgalesh]

Microsoft joined the open invention network; a defensive patent pool protecting Linux (kernel and distributions). This directly cut into their patent revenue and removed some of their leverage towards Android OEM's. This matters a lot to the android and wider Linux ecosystem.

Moreover, every single Microsoft patent will now be used to fight against any patent claim concerning Linux, related open source software, and a limited set of codecs. [0]

Given the recent inclusion of an exFAT driver in Linux, this hurt MS's business even more.

[0] https://openinventionnetwork.com/linux-system/

[nitrogen]

Moreover, every single Microsoft patent will now be used to fight against any patent claim concerning Linux, related open source software, and a limited set of codecs.

Did Microsoft contribute all of their patents to the OIN? I seem to recall IBM only contributed a specific subset back in the day.

[DennisP]

According to the zdnet article I posted in a sibling comment, they did contribute all their patents, which is about 60,000 of them. They gave up significant licensing revenue.

[beagle3]

Did they?

Is there a breakdown somewhere of their patent licensing revenue from Linux licensees, and the legal expenses they have in enforcing it?

Did they give up Linux patent licenses from Android makers? They had billions coming in from Samsung and LG in the past but that was all under NDAs, we don’t know what patents were under discussion.

[DennisP]

I have no idea what their legal expenses were, but they explicitly said it covered all their patents. The link I posted mentions Android as something that would be covered.