Ooops! Microsoft may well have shot themselves in the foot after last year's mutual patent-protection deal with Novell. What's more their recent round of patent claims against Linux may just be a desperate attempt to up the FUD factor before the gun goes off.

Here -- according to Eben Moglen, the Free Software Foundation's legal counsel and one of the authors of version 3 of the Gnu Public License (GPL 3) -- is how it works...

As part of the Microsoft/Novell deal, Microsoft began distributing coupons that recipients could redeem for a copy of Novell's Suse Linux. But the coupons have no expiry date. That means that if a single user redeems one after GPL 3 comes into effect in July, Microsoft themselves become subject to Clause 11 of the license and any patent claims against Linux users are effectively dead.

Here's how Groklaw's Pamela Jones put it, "And so, as the sun sets over the horizon, we may be bidding a fond farewell to Microsoft's patent bullying. I hope some friendly folks have bought a voucher. If so, you might just want to take a breather before you turn it in, huh? Then it's buh-bye to Microsoft's 235 patent claims, methinks. So nice of Microsoft to distribute under GPLv3. Hugs and kisses."