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Friday brought the New York Times, a large-scale article on dispute between two of the strongest companies in the new century, Apple and Google.

How personalities such as Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt of Google has become bitter enemies after a period that they have worked closely together.

Strife kernel is not something new in. Man is become direct competitors in the mobile market, and there is a huge difference in the two companies’ approach to the market. Apple wants total control of the entire value chain, while Google vows to open platforms. Read more in my analysis from August.

The article in New York the other hand provides a rare detailed and fascinating insight into the battle. How to start to struggle for words to later compete for market share and acquisitions and eventually ending up in legal wrangling.

The ultimate weapon appears to be the law. If the counter party does not toe the line: “I’ll just sue you.”

Thus came the second person-oriented messages in the past week. Jonathan Schwarz, former CEO of Sun Microsystems, talked about his own experiences with Apple and Microsoft.

Steve Jobs, who credited the above quotation, was of the belief that Sun had entered into one of Apple’s IP domains with a piece of 3D software.

The wording and the approach was slightly different, but still traded on IP when Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer looked over at Sun. Sun’s Open Office suite was too much a copy of Microsoft’s Office suite, was the message from Gates and Ballmer, although not threatened with a lawsuit.

Instead, there was a license revenues from open source program, money, if any, should come from Sun. Protection Money, as Jonathan Schwarz puts it.

In both cases, the Sun in a position to reject the attacks, because they themselves were keeping a number of patents that Apple and Microsoft allegedly piggybacked on.

However, IP continues to be a popular weapon, especially in the mobile market where we are currently seeing action in the crossword. Apple sues Nokia, Nokia against Apple, the Apple v HTC, etc. There seems almost to be a tinge of desperation of the many proceedings, notes Schwartz.

The number of patent litigation is a problem for the market and innovations. Patents have two functions. One is to protect the right holder and thereby provide an incentive to innovate.

But the second, very important function is to get right to share her knowledge leading to better innovation. But if the parties cannot agree on the appropriate boundaries, you end up quickly in the legal wrangling that does not generate any innovation, the only lawyer bills.

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