In a move blatant and sweeping even for the company perceived by many to be megalomania personified, Microsoft has drafted an Internet protocol licensing agreement which includes essentially every single Internet protocol ever created, several (if not the majority) of which Microsoft has never touched, let alone helped to develop. Microsoft asserts that it is necessary to protect any intellectual property rights which they may have in these protocols, and further that “the company provides the Royalty Free Protocol License Agreement in order to satisfy its obligation with standard-setting organisations.”

Say what?

There are, count them, 130 protocols listed in the Microsoft license, including HTTP, DNS, POP3, ping, quote of the day, Bluetooth, and, yes, believe it or not, AppleTalk.

What are they playing at?

While some of the listed protocols very clearly belong to others, there are many which just sort of evolved over time, and which have no real “owner” to claim them. The state of the law is not entirely clear as to what happens when someone steps in and, if Aunty may use legal jargon, squats on intellectual property where nobody else challenges the adverse possession… [Continued]