infected a high-percentage of Windows XP systems that have been upgraded to SP2 (see
www·secureworks·com/analysis/spamthru-stats
).
Of course, no matter what browser or e-mail client you are using, you need to follow good security
practices (such as not opening attachments or downloading files you don't trust). Also, as open
source browsers and e-mail clients, such as those from Mozilla·org, become more popular, the
number of possible machines to infect through those applications will make it more tempting to
virus writers. (At the moment, most viruses and worms are created specifically to attack Microsoft
software.)
Will You Be Sued for Using Linux?
There have been some well-financed lawsuits against Linux providers. Those with litigation against
Linux have gone primarily after big companies, such as IBM, Novell, and Red Hat, Inc. Linus Torvalds
himself is the rare individual who has been named in lawsuits. Most threats to individuals have
been vague, general declarations from proprietary software companies that claim some infringe-
ment of their property, without being specific about what the exact infringement is.
For the past year, most vocal threats to those using Linux systems have come from Microsoft (and
companies coincidentally run by ex-Microsoft employees). Before that time, the SCO Group, Inc.
spent several years in litigation against major Linux players. Both of those initiatives seem to have
more to do with fear mongering than they do with reality.
Microsoft Versus Linux
As of this writing, Microsoft has announced that Linux has infringed on 235 patents that Microsoft
holds relating to the desktop. What it has not told us are the features that infringe on Microsoft
patents and the identity of the patents. Here are some speculations about why Microsoft has not
made that information public:
Fear is the intent -- The strategy by Microsoft is to get people and companies to pay
Microsoft for their use of Linux, without actually telling them specifically what they are
paying for. The Linux community has always said that they would replace any code that
was shown to impinge on someone else's rights. But if Microsoft doesn't say what their
property is, the problem can't ever be corrected and the fear of lawsuits can remain.
Too many patents -- There are literally thousands of patents relating to computer oper-
ating systems. Many of those patents are held by companies such as IBM, as well as by
some open source providers, such as Red Hat, Inc. Opening that can of worms in the
courtroom could mean as much trouble for Microsoft as it does for anyone else.
Few individuals have been sued because of an association with Linux. However, the level of rheto-
ric surrounding who might be sued has been raised substantially. In the alliance between Microsoft
and Novell (see Chapter 10 for details), the two companies agree not to sue each other's customers
for intellectual property rights violations. However, Microsoft lawyer Brad Smith had this to say
about how open source developers can avoid being sued by Microsoft:
24
Linux First Steps
Part I
