Microsoft warned Asian governments that they could face patent lawsuits for using the Linux operating system instead of its Windows software.The growing popularity of Linux — an open-code software that is freely available on the Internet and easily modified by users — is a threat to the global dominance of Microsoft’s Windows.Linux violates more than 228 patents, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said at the company’s Asian Government Leaders Forum in Singapore. He did not provide details on the alleged violations, which the Linux community disputes. ‘‘Someday, for all countries that are entering the WTO, somebody will come and look for money owing to the rights for that intellectual property,’’ he added.Software developer SCO Group Inc, which claims that Linux is based on its Unix software, is suing companies including IBM. Singapore’s Ministry of Defence last month switched 20,000 PCs to run on open-source software instead of the Microsoft platform.Other governments in the region are also looking to use more open-source software. China, Japan and South Korea this year agreed to jointly develop applications running on Linux. China sees its reliance on Microsoft as a threat. Conspiracy buffs believe certain patches in the Windows code might give US the power to disable Chinese networks , possibly during a war over Taiwan. Bill Gates is most ‘spammed’ person
