During the antitrust lawsuit, not everyone in our industry raced to support us - Steve 'Understatement' Ballmer
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Google Microsoft patent row turns into a squabble
INTERNET SEARCH FIRM Google's recent blog about how much it struggles in the face of software patents, and how it uses them as a force for good has been ridiculed by Microsoft, forcing the company to defend itself with a "Well, it would say that, wouldn't it?" response.
Earlier this week Google actively targeted patent purchases and sat atop its high horse to decry the fact that other firms were buying patents, as well as the fact that Oracle says it has infringed Java patents with Android.
That message was swiftly denied by Microsoft, which said that in one of the cases that Google complained about - the Rockstar purchases of Nortel patents - Microsoft had actually been asked Google to join in, but it turned down the opportunity.
This is at odds with the Google version, which painted it as a lone child sitting in a corner with no toys to play with.
Google has sought to redress the balance in its favour, marginally, by saying that the offer was not as gracious as it seemed.
"It's not surprising that Microsoft would want to divert attention by pushing a false 'gotcha!' while failing to address the substance of the issues we raised. If you think about it, it's obvious why we turned down Microsoft's offer," wrote David Drummond, SVP and chief legal officer at Google in an update to his original blog post.
According to Drummond the tempting offer was the sort of offer that Don Corleone might make, particularly if you had a horse that you had taken a shine to.
He explained that Microsoft's aim was to put Google in a position in which it could not defend itself against attacks made by an organisation that, ironically, it was part of.
"Microsoft's objective has been to keep from Google and Android device-makers any patents that might be used to defend against their attacks. A joint acquisition of the Novell patents that gave all parties a license would have eliminated any protection these patents could offer to Android against attacks from Microsoft and its bidding partners," he added.
"Making sure that we would be unable to assert these patents to defend Android - and having us pay for the privilege - must have seemed like an ingenious strategy to them. We didn't fall for it." µ
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Yes, CLEARLY one of the Rockstar coalition's aims was to try to take out Android. It seems such an obvious, and typical, business tactic that I'm surprised Drummond even mentioned it. The reality is that, if you have a hit, high-quality product, your competitors will try as hard as they can to put you out of commission. The fact that Google's leadership is publicly complaining about such common business tactics makes me wonder whether the company's leaders are experienced and savvy enough to adequately weather the storm of cutthroat, high-stakes business and come out on top in the long run. If I were a Google investor, such comments (as well as Google's recent fumbling of its Nortel patent bid) might make me think twice about the long-term viability of an investment in the company.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/poltorak-says-nortel-auction-may-spark-patent-wars/2011/06/27/AGWzLWnH_video.html
Are adults actually running these companies and heading these fights? Every single article I read about this is like watching (reading about) a couple of children fighting over a toy in the play pen.
Grow up, sit down and address this cordially. Microsoft can be butthurt that it's losing sales and licensing deals to Android all it wants, and Google can be butthurt because it most likely does legitimately need to pay some licensing fees and is trying to weasel its way out. And Oracle is just greedy- call a spade a spade. But for the love of God, sit down and handle it like adults.
You say that "Google has sought to redress the balance in its favour, marginally".
I'm not sure why you think this is marginal. If Google wanted to use the patents defensively against attacks on Android, then entering an agreement which would prevent the use of the patents against the main attackers would have been stupid.
The balance is fully redressed in my book!