[lazka]

Microsoft ASF/WMA also has a similar limitation, where it disallows writing an open source implementation if you use the official format specification.

Luckily it is too mostly irrelevant nowadays.

[ur-whale]

> Microsoft ASF/WMA also has a similar limitation,

Doesn't mean it would in court.

[nikanj]

If you've got the resources to mount a credible legal defence against Microsoft

[throwaway81523]

Microsoft ironically made its fortune by selling software that ran on IBM PC compatible x86 boxes, built around PC BIOS's that started from a clean room reimplementation of the reverse engineered IBM BIOS. IBM itself was not very significant in that market except at the very beginning. Clones for me, but not for thee.

[grrrrlpower]

I look back now at how weird it was going to the store looking for the IBM compatible computers amongst the Amiga, Apple's, Commodores and such.