When Microsoft Sends Its Legal Dept. To Give Quotes On Product Launches, Something Is Wrong

from the that's-not-development-any-more dept

Thu, Sep 18th 2008 9:13am — Mike Masnick

We've noted the very clear shift in patent strategies at Microsoft over the years -- from a company that hated patents to one that now views them as central to its mission, and often uses them to threaten competitors. However, you want to know when things have really gone too far? It's when the company is sending out the legal department to provide press quotes on a "product launch" that is tied to a technology licensing deal. As Matt Asay points out in the link here, in a story about Novell launching Linux on a Windows virtualization offering, there are two quotes from Microsoft employees -- and both appear to come from the legal department rather than a product role. What used to be an innovative company working on new stuff is apparently turning into a legal firm trying to put tollbooths on innovation. It's sad.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: intellectual property, licensing, patents, product launch
Companies: microsoft, novell

10 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Ima Fish, 18 Sep 2008 @ 9:29am

"What used to be an innovative company working on new stuff..."

Wait, I thought this post was about Microsoft?!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
PRMan, 18 Sep 2008 @ 9:55am

FTFY
What used to be an innovative company stealing the best stuff

FTFY
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
some old guy, 18 Sep 2008 @ 10:08am

invention != innovation
Stealing the good stuff from your competitors is innovation people. IMPROVING YOUR PRODUCT IN A MANNER THAT IS MARKET TESTED AND CUSTOMER APPROVED IS NOT A BAD THING!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Billy Bathgates, 18 Sep 2008 @ 10:10am

Things really went too far
when bill gates started a company...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
J.Locke, 18 Sep 2008 @ 10:28am

Simple Math
The patent system benefits whoever can afford the most lawyers.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
wasnt me!, 18 Sep 2008 @ 10:39am

well if any one knows how much you can BS with out getting sued it would be the legal department.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
snowburn14, 18 Sep 2008 @ 11:22am

More lawyers aren't such a bad thing...
Personally, I don't really have too much of a problem with companies having huge legal departments. I just wish they'd devote a little more of their time to what laws THEY might be breaking. I can dream, can't I?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Zag, 19 Sep 2008 @ 8:37am

MS Legal
I just finished a stint at Microsoft. Legal has its fingers in everything. They claim the right to review and approve every new idea generated at that company, which is one of the reasons that very few new ideas emerge from Redmond these days. Everyone else there hates the lawyers, but they're afraid of them. All part of the Ballmer legacy, and it's a hell of a way to run a company.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Charlie, 20 Sep 2008 @ 7:00am

It is truly pathetic when a company launches a product BEFORE testing it to see if it works. It seems like someone's more interested in money than its customers.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Mark F, 20 Sep 2008 @ 2:50pm

It's a licensing deal not a product launch
Microsoft was announcing a tech licensing deal with Novell not an announcement of new products, hence you get lawyers. When Microsoft rolls out the new products I suspect you would get more quotes from product managers.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]