Microsoft patents Sudo

“Here we have the perfect example of why software patents must die.” writes Adrian Kingsley-Hughes from ZDNet. I have not always agreed with this assertion, but this time he may have more than just a point. Apparently, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has patented a sudo-like feature. In Unix and Unix-like systems (Mac OS X, Linux, etc.), sudo is a command that gives root privileges (i.e. super-administrator) to the user (provided the said user give the root password).

Sudo is UAC (User Account Control, that thing that keeps on bugging you in Vista) done right, and way ahead of UAC both in it’s chronological appearance and it’s power. I don’t really see anybody paying Microsoft for including sudo in their OS. What could Microsoft hope to do with that patent?

Apart from turning us all into soul-less sandwich-making goblins of course.

You can find a more extensive analysis by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes on ZDNet.

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Thumbnail courtesy: Xkcd

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