Software patents and free software
Patents, in the field of software, are seen by the free software community as being a problem. In response, various defense mechanisms have been tried. Some with a degree of success, others have met with debate and derision.
Defenses in licences
Free software licences like the Mozilla Public License and the GNU General Public License contain clauses to reduce the problem for free software.
Patent retaliation
Defensive patent strategy
Corporations with a vested interest in free and open source software developed a means to protect FOSS projects from the threats of patent suits by pooling patents into the Open Invention Network (OIN). The OIN is a company that acquires patents and offers them royalty free "to any company, institution or individual that agrees not to assert its patents against the Linux operating system or certain Linux-related applications".[1]
The OIN has the Commerce One patents that cover web services, which potentially threaten anyone who uses web services. The OIN's founders intend for these patents to encourage others to join, and to discourage legal threats against Linux and Linux-related applications. Along with several other projects, Mono is listed as a covered project.
IBM, Novell, Philips, Red Hat, and Sony founded the OIN November 10 2005.
References
- ^ "Open Invention Network formed to promote Linux and spur innovation globally through access to key patents". Open Invention Network. November 10, 2005.
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See also
External links
- The Dangers of Software Patents, Richard Stallman 2004