When Microsoft set up its Open Technologies subsidiary a couple of weeks back there was a flurry of coverage about the initiative from an IP management perspective, some positive, some negative, but generally looking at the procedural and legal implications of the new organisation. Its no surprise that the industry views Microsoft IP initiatives in terms of weaponry – Microsoft clearly enjoys and understands better than anyone the advantages of IP management and licensing – just witness the recent cheeky arbitrage in buying a bunch of patents from AOL and selling them on to Facebook within weeks.