American Patents last approx. 20 years. If I remember correctly, the owner of the patent also has first dibs at re-purchasing it. If they don't do so in the alloted time, which is BEFORE the said patents expire, they are put on the market to be purchased by the highest bidder.
I work in the Industrial Property industry and US Patents last 20 years. After which as far as I am aware you can't repurchase it, they just lapse.
The patents listed in the article were all taken out in the mid 90's so MS still has at least ten years left in them.
As to Amiga holding the patent to Autoboot CD's, does anyone know anymore about it? I might look into it out of interest?
