Microsoft's pledge not to sue [1] covers only compliant implementations of specific versions of some of the components. Since Android, for example, could be con

Microsoft's pledge not to sue [1] covers only compliant implementations of specific versions of some of the components. Since Android, for example, could be considered non-compliant (with the Java specification), they wouldn't necessarily have been covered if they had based it in the same way on .NET instead. Even if they were, there would likely still have been issues with the parts that aren't listed as covered by the pledge. On top of that, while the promise mentions "Microsoft-owned or Microsoft-controlled patents" it is very specific about who is promising not to sue - Microsoft only, not its partners, subsidiaries or other affiliated entities. So they still have plenty of room to arrange for opponents to be sued. [1] https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecifications/dn646765 https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecifications/dn646765