Factory of the Future?

Microsoft alum Nathan Myhrvold runs a firm that doesn't make anything, but it's hoarding the key to a new business age:
intellectual property

Myhrvold reflects on his early days at Microsoft when he was criticized for selling pure software, a collection of ethereal bits unattached to something tangible like computer hardware. Today, this "ethereal" industry is one of America's largest, and Myhrvold repeats almost as a mantra, "Intellectual property is the next software." In other words, he expects a whole new industry of firms like Intellectual Ventures that deal only in the currency of ideas. He is so sure of it, he has even adopted a new hobby: studying for the patent bar exam.

Novell withdraws from EC case... for a price

Novell and Microsoft Reach Settlement on Antitrust Claims

Microsoft will pay Novell $536 million under the agreement, and Microsoft will also release its compulsory counterclaims to those antitrust claims regarding NetWare. The agreement does not obligate Microsoft to license or otherwise share any of its technology or intellectual property rights with Novell, nor does it include any admission of wrongdoing by Microsoft.