Microsoft TomTom
March 2, 2009
My hunch is that the Microsoft challenge to Tom Tom over the FAT32 file format may be an important sign of a rebirth of litigation. When companies find themselves behind the curve, management asks staff to come up ideas for protecting existing customer strongholds, generate revenue from innovations, and tap the money making potential of intellectual property.
There’s a useful analysis of the Tom Tom matter at Datamation. The Web site has the url ITManagement and you can find the article “Analyzing Microsoft’s TomTom Lawsuit” by Bruce Perens here. Mr. Perens focuses on the weaknesses of the Tom Tom matter. I am not an attorney, but I came away from the article with renewed concern about about the Microsoft Linux tie up.
My concern was that some search vendors offer appliances that can process FAT32 file systems. There are companies that create code widgets that can hook into various Windows repositories so the indexing system can pull content and make it searchable. I know that several of the systems we have examined make this process seamless. In fact, one aims the appliance at servers and folders and the content becomes available. In my mind, the Tom Tom matter could be a probe to give Microsoft live data useful in other legal actions.
I want to talk with my attorney about the Tom Tom matter on March 2, 2009. For now, I am no longer disinterested in the Tom Tom matter. I am moving it to flashing yellow light status. Check out Mr. Perens’ comments, and post your thoughts in the comments section of this Web log. I want to know why I should * not * worry about more Fat32 actions.
Stephen Arnold, March 2, 2009
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