Microsoft reported to license voice-enabled instant messaging and digital media technology namely Windows Media 10 codecs, and TrueType font, to Linspire Inc, a small scale Linux distributor, in a move that they say would make the Windows Operating System work more efficiently with open-source software.
“This agreement will offer several advantages to Linspire Linux users not found anywhere else, such as Windows Media 10 support, genuine Microsoft TrueType fonts, Microsoft patent coverage, improved interoperability with Microsoft Windows computers, and so on, Linspire CEO Kevin Carmony said.
Interestingly, Linspire was “Lindows” in 2001 when it was founded. Microsoft then paid $20M to rename their company to “Linspire” as part of a trademark infrigement settlement between the two companies.
Based in San Diego, Linspire is known to provide propriety codecs, as well as drivers and software through which users were given the opportunity to use the Linux OS with a wide range of popular multimedia formats and plugins.
Linspire also agrees to make Microsoft’s search engine MSN Live.com their default search engine, an exposure and promotional strategy that benefits both companies.
Originally posted on June 14, 2007 @ 1:34 pm