Among other things, it's promising to reveal the "highly questionable circumstances" behind the mystery of how Microsoft managed to get a trademark on the generic term windows even though the Patent and Trademark Office originally turned it down - twice.

Lindows has subpoenaed Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, who it says it expects to testify as hostile witnesses FOR Lindows. It's also promising to call members of the old Windows 1.0 development team, William Ferron, the Microsoft lawyer who got the Windows trademark and ex-InfoWorld editor-turned-VC John Dvorak,

Lindows is counting on the Microsoft trademark not holding up. It figures that "No matter what happens at trial, Microsoft will continue to use ‘windows' in its product names. If its trademark is invalid, Microsoft just won't be able to bully smaller companies with trademark litigation the way it did with Lindows.com."

If Lindows.com loses the case, it will have to change its company name and the names of its products.

Lucky for it, Microsoft is no longer seeking damages.

Lindows say Microsoft has hired Karl Quackenbush to prosecute its case. He's the guy who represented Microsoft against Apple and Sun. It's also got Dan Webb, a top trial lawyer who was once a US attorney and an Iran-Contra special prosecutor who has defended Microsoft against various states attorneys general. It's also got William Ferron, who has represented Microsoft's trademark interests for 20 years.

• Judge Slaps Down Cheeky Lindows Scheme
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