Writing for ZDNet UK , Matthew Broersma said that recent patent claims from Microsoft may affect the future development of OpenGL, the open graphics standard used by Apple and other companies. The news comes in an article entitled 3D graphics world shaken by patent claims.
Microsoft said it has “possible claims” on vertex programming and fragment shading, two technologies used by OpenGL. At a recent meeting of the board that governs the OpenGL standard, Microsoft said it would offer “reasonable and nondiscriminatory” terms for its license, if it has a valid claim on the technology. Broersma said that it’s still unclear as to whether or how Microsoft may pursue action related to these issues or what “reasonable and nondiscriminatory” means, exactly.
The reason why Microsoft is in this position, explained one market analyst, is because the company has been on an intellectual property buying spree — buying such rights from Intel, ATI, SGI, Nvidia and other companies.
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