Posted on 08/05/2011 7:55:31 AM PDT by for-q-clinton
Earlier today, Google came out swinging. Seemingly sick of being continuously slapped in the face by the patent issue, Google’s SVP and Chief Legal Officer, David Drummond, wrote a blog post calling out several of Google’s rivals for attempting to use “bogus patents” to destroy Android. Chief among the rivals called out was Microsoft. Drummond noted that the software giant had been getting in bed with other rivals to hurt Google.
Among the accusations was that Microsoft teamed up with Apple to buy Novell’s old patents, implying that they did so in order to keep them away from Google.
Microsoft didn’t take too kindly to that remark.
“Google says we bought Novell patents to keep them from Google. Really? We asked them to bid jointly with us. They said no,” Brad Smith, Microsoft General Counsel tweeted out in response.
Damn. Shit just got real.
Just in case that wasn’t enough, Frank Shaw, Microsoft Head of Communications, followed up with the real heat-seeker. “Free advice for David Drummond – next time check with Kent Walker before you blog. ,” Shaw tweeted, referring to another Google SVP and General Counsel. Attached to that tweet was the picture of an email Walker apparently sent to Smith on October 28, 2010. It reads as follows:
Brad –
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you — I came down with a 24-hour bug on the way back from San Antonio. After talking with people here, it sounds as though for various reasons a joint bid wouldn’t be advisable for us on this one. But I appreciate your flagging it, and we’re open to discussing other similar opportunities in the future.
I hope the rest of your travels go well, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
– Kent
While it’s only one instance, this really does undercut Google’s entire argument. Google was attempting to set up a pattern of Microsoft teaming up with other Google rivals to damage them. But the first instance listed was actually the result of Google turning Microsoft down, as the email shows. That does not look good for Google.
Does that mean Google’s totally wrong and Microsoft is totally right? Of course not. But it sure makes Google look pretty stupid. And it reinforces something that many observers think about Google’s position here: that they simply weren’t taking the patent situation too seriously until recently, and now they’re all up in arms about it.
Tech Ping please.
Thought you might like this article. Apple is mentioned, but it’s mainly about google and Microsoft.
“They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Microsoft way.”
So some guy at google needs to do a database search before blogging?
Ahh, irony, I get it.
While you are at it Google how Chrome does not support Google Toolbar.
I love when leftists fight among themselves, even though I like Microsoft much, much better than Google.
Chrome also loads cache to hell & back, was’ up wit’dat?! Cheese & Krackers!
Microsoft vs Google kinda like Michigan vs Ohio State the best you can hope for it LOTS of injuries on both sides.
Google could do a lot more good if they’d put their considerable resources in completely destroying the idea of software patents.
It seems the left has won the language war.
Doesn’t surprise me one bit. The whole reason behind the google toolbar is so they can track your every move on the Internet (even when not on google’s site). With Chrome that feature is built in.
Honestly I can’t see how people trust Google. Microsoft may not be perfect, but they are better than google when it comes to privacy. Ever since they lost the DOJ case and were ruled a monopoly they changed. I don’t agree with the DOJ’s decision...Apple has proven you can win (after Microsoft gave them loads of cash though).
Thanks, for-q-Clinton, I appreciate the ping, but if it's all the same to you, the Apple involvement in this article is so miniscule I won't ping the list for this. It is interesting, though, other pundits are opining that Google is running scared, and is trying to obfuscate the true issues of their IP mis-appropriation in Android, by raising a smokescreen of accusations couched with terms like "bogus" and "questionable" patents. Microsoft just trumped this play.
I’ve always hated Google due to their Dem-relationship and search queries which intrudes on my privacy. Just reading the background story of Scroogle should scare off most Freepers.
One of my colleagues in the company actually wanted us to go Googledocs, and I literally told him “why would you want to hand Google our sensitive infornation?”
Haven’t read scroogle yet (I have it coming up now though). But I do know gmail reserves the right to not only read all your email, but also CHANGE your email as well!
DO MICROSOFT! Do not mess with MS PR, they are seasoned veterans.
Get this...
Google owns Youtube, and they sent me an e-mail a week ago when I was replying to a post on a video that they WANT my PHONE NUMBER in case, I “lose my password”. In order to log in to your Youtube account, the password is now part of Google accounts.
Scary stuff.
Yet, there will be anti-Microsoft bigots, even on FR, that will repeat the lie that Microsoft bought patents to keep them from Google.
I concur. I never linked my google accounts into one and actually never log into them anyway. Note to anyone that doesn’t know this...do NOT use the google toolbar. This will track all your actions online whether logged into google or not. Go to your banking site...it can watch you. Go to check on your cell phone bill...it can watch you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.