Yes, Microsoft is demanding — and in many cases, receiving royalties — from companies selling devices that run Android, an operating system based on Linux. This shows that its place in the world remains complicated. Though it’s moving to the web, it is still very much a company that makes money selling software — and it still has an interest in protecting this business.

Microsoft is transforming from a proprietary software vendor into a litigation house, using the mere threat of patent lawsuits to effectively extort payments like a modern day Al Capone.