[ Thanks to Roy Schestowitz for this
link. ]
“Microsoft is using codec tax (Microsoft-encumbered
codecs like those found in Silverlight) to elevate the cost of
GNU/Linux, essentially through software patents. As TomTom showed,
Microsoft uses FAT to market or advance embedded Windows and to tax
those who use Linux. It’s something to bear in mind when culling
Mono out. Moreover, says this document from Microsoft:“* eCDN/CDN/caching product vendors running on non-Windows
platforms, such as Cisco (Linux) & NetApp (proprietary),
currently pay Microsoft a royalty for licensing Windows Media
protocols, allowing them to stream WM content in dedicated caching
appliances (DCA) This royalty is roughly equivalent to the cost of
Windows 2000 Server. Inktomi solutions run on Solaris and Linux,
although they’re preparing to roll out a Windows-based
solution.”