McRumors, McGossip, McInnuendo

By Spencer F. Katt  |  Posted 2006-02-27

Big Blues gonna put everyone who ever talked to McBride on the McGriddle," laughed the Lynx, who was catching breakfast at Mickey Ds with a lawyer pal in Beantown. The Kitty was referring to the news that IBM has subpoenaed Microsoft, HP, Sun and BayStar in its ongoing intellectual property dispute with SCO over Unix. Conspiracy theorists must be wetting themselves hoping some sinister licensing schemes will come to light, but rather than being the trial of the century, El Gato told his pal that the case is dragging on longer than O.J.s white Bronco car chase.

"Speaking of legal cases," mused the Mousers Matlock-like pal, "Micron is suing Rambus over chip patents and is accusing Rambus of destroying evidence, in what some call an unclean hands case." As the Puss pondered that statement, he felt slightly squeamish as he tried to remember whether the guy handling his bacon, egg and cheese had been wearing latex gloves. Tossing his breakfast aside, the culinary Kitty told his pal that a Frenchman named Paul Dell said he is being sued by a certain eponymous computer manufacturer over the name of his Web site, www.dellwebsites.com. He claims hes being unfairly targeted and is trying to raise legal defense funds online. "He should try to get some backing from SkyBridge Capital," cackled the Kitty. "The Michael Dell-backed hedge fund outfit just announced it has raised $330 million."

The pal noted hearing earlier this month that Apple Computer vets Gil Amelio, Ellen Hancock and Steve Wozniak have founded Acquicor Technology, a special-purpose acquisition company. "Mmm, Id love to be a fly on the wall when that trio attempts water cooler chat," said Spence. Feeling quite McFull, McSpence bid his legal eagle pal adieu and grabbed a cab back to the office. There, the Furball was glad to note that Yahoo lifted a ban on registered Yahoo IDs containing the letters "allah." Spence had been amused earlier last week that some folks named Callahan reported discovering that Yahoo mail was rejecting their name because it contained the letters "allah."

Spence was also amused to see that the big prize winner of the Mashup Camp unconference held in Mountain View last week was a mashup called podbop.org. Sun President and COO Jonathan Schwartz, who awarded podbop.orgs Taylor McKnight a Niagara blade server, said on his blog the winner asked: "How do I get this on the plane?" Schwartz noted it was a legitimate question, since blade servers were classified as munitions by the United States in 1996 to protect encryption algorithms from being exported.

Soon, the clarion call of the Kattphone brought a caller who told Spence that Google really isnt just trying to hire just smart guys, now theyre hiring brilliant ones, too. The search giant just announced it has appointed Dr. Larry Brilliant as executive director of Google.org, the companys philanthropic arm. "Mmm, Dr. Brilliant," groused the Kitty. "I suppose given their motto, they couldnt hire Dr. Evil."

Rocket Fuel