From Groklaw
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Google Becomes OIN's First End User Licensee "To Help Linux Thrive"
Tuesday, August 07 2007 @ 03:12 AM EDT
Google has become an Open Invention Network licensee. Here's the press release about it.
"Linux plays a vital role at Google, and we're strongly committed to supporting the Linux developer community," said Chris DiBona, Google open source programs manager. "We believe that by becoming an Open Invention Network licensee, we can encourage Linux development and foster innovation in a way that benefits everyone. We're proud to participate in OIN's mission to help Linux thrive."
This is huge. All previous licensees have been developers, sellers or resellers of Linux. Plus... let's be real. It's Google. OIN becomes increasingly important as a shield against patent attacks
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070807015043108 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best
A. Mani
hi, I just surfed through the OIN site,and they says they are here for protecting gnu/linux softwares from patent attacks and to reduce the worries on patent issues.But my doubt is that,where GPLV3 lacks to do all these things?.why cant google or other companies just liscence all their softwares in GPLV3?wont that provide enough security not to be attacked with patent problems? quoting from the OIN FAQ,the first question and answer is: *" What is Open Invention NetworkSM?* Open Invention Network's mission is to further software innovation by acquiring patents to be used for cross-licensing purposes to defend the Linux System - making them available on a royalty-free basis."
So the support to OIN is because they can be used for cross-licensing purposes?or because they are supporting the so called "intellectual property" and bla blas?while GPLV3 is not much about that so called"intellectual property"? So my question is that,what OIN says to provide is already there in GPLV3?
cheers shyam
On 8/7/07, Mani A a.mani.cms@gmail.com wrote:
From Groklaw
Google Becomes OIN's First End User Licensee "To Help Linux Thrive"
Tuesday, August 07 2007 @ 03:12 AM EDT
Google has become an Open Invention Network licensee. Here's the press release about it.
"Linux plays a vital role at Google, and we're strongly committed to supporting the Linux developer community," said Chris DiBona, Google open source programs manager. "We believe that by becoming an Open Invention Network licensee, we can encourage Linux development and foster innovation in a way that benefits everyone. We're proud to participate in OIN's mission to help Linux thrive."
This is huge. All previous licensees have been developers, sellers or resellers of Linux. Plus... let's be real. It's Google. OIN becomes increasingly important as a shield against patent attacks
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070807015043108
Best
A. Mani
-- A. Mani Member, Cal. Math. Soc
Fsf-friends mailing list Fsf-friends@mm.gnu.org.in http://mm.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-friends
On 8/8/07, shyam narayanan aeshyamae@gmail.com wrote: <snip>
quoting from the OIN FAQ,the first question and answer is: So the support to OIN is because they can be used for cross-licensing purposes?or because they are supporting the so called "intellectual property" and bla blas?while GPLV3 is not much about that so called"intellectual property"? So my question is that,what OIN says to provide is already there in GPLV3?
(please do not top post)
OIN is aided by companies like Novell, Red Hat and others. Obviously they see IP rights differently from the way FSF does.
OIN is apparently necessitated by the kind of patents that have been and are being granted by the US and similar Govts (= a group of MNCs). Instead of fighting patents, they are playing by the evil rules. They have patented things like '(7,162,519) Structure and Method for Providing Customized Web Pages' . OIN provides something else... if you are using a oin licensed technology and file a claim against it, then you may no longer use it till such time the claim is dismissed.
Best
A. Mani