Comments on: Microsoft pays to end Lindows suits

For $20 million, software giant gets Linux upstart to give up name.

[Earl Benser]

Payoof but not a solution

Bill still has a basic problem. 'Windows' is not a trademark, it is
been a generic term for computer displays for far too long a
time. He can trademark 'Microsoft Windows', and probably
should if he hasn't already done that.

But unless Bill buys a court decision, 'Windows' belongs to
everyone.

[David Arbogast]

Incorrect

Actually, you have it backwards. Microsoft properly filed for, and completed the trademark registration for the name of their operating system. Their trademark is now protected by law. Until a court case takes that away, they do own it.

ROFL!!!

Big bad MS decides, once again, to sue a tiny competitor into an early grave and instead they wind up FUNDING them to the tune of $20million. All so MS can save their... um... trademarks.

This is thick with irony! :->

Who cares?

I guess the strength of Michael Robertson's conviction to the "Lindows" name is good to about the tune of 20 million bucks.

My only concern

My only concern is that with all this money, Linspire will position itself as a defacto standard for Linux... and it is FAR from that. I installed it the other day on my desktop. It was so Windows like (restricted use, hard to install new apps unless you use CNR which you PAY for acces to GPL software, they even renamed GPL sofftware!!!!) I used it for a few hours, but ended up needing Linux freedom back. I removed Lindows and put PCLinuxOS back on my machine.
Linux is about freedom, not restriction. Linspire is all about giving you Windows... with Linux, not giving you freedom with Linux.