Search giant Google has promised not to use its patent portfolio against the Linux operating system and other open source projects by becoming the first end-user licensee of the Open Invention Network. By joining the OIN Google has licensed over 100 patents from the non-profit organization, which was formed in November 2005 by IBM, Novell, Red Hat, Sony and Phillips to stockpile intellectual property for use as a defensive weapon.
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Member since:
2005-11-02
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Companies such as MS would be advised to join the OIN with Google, Oracle, IBM, Novell, Red Hat, Sony and Phillips. Because if they don't join and were to launch patent attacks against Linux, they would be potentially be subject to patent retaliation by the OIN.
If they did join OIN they would demonstrate that they are not a loose cannon patent troll in the computer industry.
Edited 2007-08-09 18:38
Member since:2005-07-08
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If Microsoft joined, they would forfeit their right to make aggressive patent claims against the "Linux System," which includes a huge list of packages that comprise various Linux distributions. Therefore, asking MS to join the OIN is like asking the Soviets to tear down the wall. It'll never happen.
Oh, wait.
Member since:2005-11-02
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Member since:2006-01-10
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I'm honestly surprised that the shareholders haven't had him thrown out of the company and forced him to join a circus.
Of course, I'm still waiting for the day that he starts screaming "Developers, developers, developer....*cough, hack, cough*" then chokes on his own tongue and dies....
Member since:2005-12-31
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I was more in the line, after finding out that there is a HUGE shift of developers from Windows to Linux in something like:
"DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEV.... Where the hell has everyone gone?..."
)
Member since:2007-02-17
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So you are saying that Microsoft would prefer to leave themselves open to patent counterclaim form OIN and the Patent commons just for the dubious ability to attack the "Linux System"?
The "Linux System" is based on POSIX, BSD and ancient UNIX, it is not based on Microsoft technology at all. Microsoft technology, however, is based on VMS (which doesn't belong to Microsoft).
Microsoft would be far better off and far safer joining OIN and forgetting about trying to threaten the "Linux System" with extremely vague and dubious patent saber-rattling.
Member since:2005-11-16
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Microsoft would be far better off and far safer joining OIN and forgetting about trying to threaten the "Linux System" with extremely vague and dubious patent saber-rattling.
Yes - in a perfect world they'd be much much better off joining OIN. Unfortunately the world isn't perfect (and some parts of it are less perfect than others). Extremely vague and dubious patent saber-rattling probably seems like an effective way of fracturing the Linux community to MS (not that the Linux community actually needs help here - it's quite capable of "self-fracturing")... :-)
Member since:
2005-07-06
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Google has signed on as an end-user of the OIN patents, not as a member. This means that it has agreed to not attack open source projects with its patent portfolio, in return for not being attacked in return. They have not added their patents to the OIN portfolio, as they would have to become a full OIN member.
Agreeing to not attack is not the same as agreeing to defend. They have become like Switzerland, not one of the Allies.