[rit]

In Bishop's Microsoft Blog, he quotes Ballmer as saying "We've had an issue, a problem that we've had to confront, which is because of the way the GPL (General Public License) works, and because open-source Linux does not come from a company -- Linux comes from the community -- the fact that that product uses our patented intellectual property is a problem for our shareholders" (emphasis mine).

This kind of stuff will stay in the news until a Linux distributor takes the offense and tries for a prelimary summary judgement that their Linux distribution does not infringe any issued MS patents.

[Golden Eagle]

This kind of stuff will stay in the news until a Linux distributor takes the offense and tries for a prelimary summary judgement that their Linux distribution does not infringe any issued MS patents.

Doubtful that will happen, with one of senior counsels of the FSF already admitting it appears there are hundreds of likely infringements in the kernel of Linux alone.