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> Microsoft claims that Linux infringes upon many of their patents (don't remember the exact number)

The exact number is 235...

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9019238/Update_Micros...

Seems odd that Linus, who built git over a license dispute, wouldn't just code a replacement for whatever MS has rights to.

Is that hard, for some reason?

AFAIK Microsoft has never said what in Linux those patents read over, except to its licensees. And those are very probably bound by NDAs anyway.

Can someone explain how this isn't extortion?

Unfortunately it's just how the system works.

So if you refuse to play ball and pay the license fees, what's Microsoft going to do to stop you? They obviously won't want to take things to court, as that'll mean exposing exactly which patents of theirs are supposedly being infringed upon.

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