Microsoft has just settled a lawsuit over Digital Rights Management technologies for $440 Million. It's telling and ironic on multiple fronts. Microsoft had stolen intellectual property from InterTrust and used that technology in it's music products.

"Licensing InterTrust's patent portfolio reaffirms Microsoft's commitment to the importance of intellectual property rights as well as our commitment to our customers to stand behind our products in these emerging technology areas," explained Marshall Phelps, deputy general counsel and corporate vice president of intellectual property at Microsoft.

To be clear - Microsoft really, really cares about intellectual property, as least as long as it's something that they can charge money for. If it's something that has the potential to cost them money, well, that's something else completely.