The first-ever Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit, an invitation-only event, is being held at Google’s Mountain View, Calif. campus this week, featuring “the brightest minds in the Linux Ecosystem,” according to the Linux Foundation. “This unique, invitation-only event will bring together the brightest minds in the Linux ecosystem to discuss where Linux is, where it needs to go and how we can all help get it there,” the foundation said on its Web site. Although a published report said attendees debated the future of the movement and faced down recent Microsoft patent threats, Amanda McPherson, marketing director for the foundation, said in an email that the meeting “was not a ‘Linux vs. Microsoft meeting’ at all.” The event was characterized by McPherson as “just a meeting of the brightest minds in Linux working to improve the platform for all users.”Microsoft recently has charged that Linux and open source software violate 235 of its patents. The company also has been inking a number of deals covering intellectual property issues with companies such as Novell, Xandros and, on Thursday, Linspire, over Linux usage. But the patent issue has not been discussed much at all at this week’s event, McPherson said. “We’re more interested in concentrating on making Linux better and communicating to the world how great Linux already is than worrying about nebulous legal claims. End users we talk to understand Microsoft will not sue its own customers. Microsoft (or any other software vendor) has just as much of a patent issue as Linux (if not more so),” said McPherson. Software Development