MS wants to kill OpenGL.. Everybody love MS!

Woooho!
MS I love yooou! *buys Xbox to support MS*

Read on:

Microsoft stakes IP claims on OpenGL
By Andrew Orlowski in London
Posted: 10/07/2002 at 13:27 GMT

In January we revealed that Microsoft had acquired a chunk of SGI\'s graphics portfolio. At the time we mused if the Beast had a plan to scupper OpenGL.

This was taking paranoia too far, wise heads told us.

But in the minutes of the OpenGL developer meeting, it\'s clear that Microsoft has staked an IP claim on portions of the OpenGL spec, and it\'s willing to license it\'s patents on RAND terms.

"Microsoft believes they have patent rights relating to the ARB_vertex_program extension. They did not contribute to the extension, but are trying to be upfront about it. They\'re offering to license their IP under reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms; will license rights to the extent necessary, provided a reciprocal license is granted to MS. Granted on 1:1 basis for OpenGL 1.3, 1.4, and earlier versions. Contact Dave Aronson for more specifics ... Microsoft does believe they have IP claims against fragment shaders, too."

This gives the first public indication that hardware manufacturers are beginning to rub up against Microsoft\'s patent portfolio. Whether the Beast\'s goal is to kill OpenGL with kindness, or simply to let the GPU manufacturers know who\'s da boss, we don\'t know. The wording is misleadingly benign: non-discriminatory licenses are only non-discriminatory until there\'s some discrimination.

And right now it\'s too early to say. All we can see is the shark\'s fin.

But we\'ll be keeping our eyes on two patents filed by SGI - which created OpenGL - particularly this one and this one. If we discover that these have been assigned to Microsoft, it may be time to leave the beach entirely.

Any views from Linux developers or OpenGL developers on non-Microsoft platforms? ®

Related Stories
SGI transfers 3D graphics patents to MS
Microsoft\'s SGI 3D patents trickling back to Redm

[SIZE=10]WTF!?[/SIZE]

Edit: Fixed

If MS does this the GameCube will DIE cuz it uses OpenGL.. Im dont think the PS2 uses OpenGL though.

Still this sucks!

WTF????
fastson where did u get this article from.

GA Forum

Lots of other articles on there aswell.

Can someone say.... MONOPOLY???

[Living-In-Clip]

You guys don\'t get it, do you? YOu cannot patent the numbers one and zero , as it is binary language. If you *could* then MS would own the whole computer market, not to  mention every other thing electronic..

Its a joke article.

[Bobs_Hardware]

This article is a joke.

bullshit

they CANNOT patent the binary system

m$ DID NOT create it

[Bobs_Hardware]

DAMN YOU L-I-C!!!

If only i didnt hesitate in replying to read the rest of the article i would have beaten you!!!

Wrong article

Its about OPENGL not binary code.

[Bobs_Hardware]

Microsoft trying to copyright OpenGL is one thing, but this article was about copyrighting the BINARY SYSTEM ITSELF

Which you cannot do.  Read the comments by Steve Jobs and others.. they are obviously FAKE .. an abacus for the 21st century??  analogue computers???  animals???  please

B-b---b--blank

[Bobs_Hardware]

Needless to say the article was hilarious

"Think of this as a partnership," Gates said. "Like the ones and zeroes of the binary code itself, we must all work together to make the promise of the computer revolution a reality. As the world\'s richest, most powerful software company, Microsoft is number one. And you, the millions of consumers who use our products, are the zeroes."

Originally posted by Bobs_Hardware
Needless to say the article was hilarious

Doh.. I copyed the wrong article from the beginning.. It was supposed to be the OPENGL one.. *looks like an idiot*

[Bobs_Hardware]

Puh, for the last time.. the article is making a JOKE ABOUT MICROSOFT COPYRIGHTING OPENGL

The first article is A JOKE

Unfortunately, posting the first article has ruined a perfectly good thread about Microsoft and OpenGL