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IBM Gives FOSS Free Access to 500 Patents - Rethinks IP Management
I.B.M. has announced that it is making 500 of its software patents freely available to anyone working on open-source projects, like the popular Linux operating system, on which programmers collaborate and share code.
The patents, the article says, will be available to individuals as well as to small companies. They are hoping to begin a "patent commons" which other companies will hopefully join. Programmers who are not FOSS developers may wish to know in advance: there is the complete list of the patents in the pledge.
The patents fall into 14 categories, including those that manage electronic commerce, storage, image processing, data handling and Internet communications:
"I.B.M. will continue to hold the 500 patents. But it has pledged to seek no royalties from and to place no restrictions on companies, groups or individuals who use them in open-source projects, as defined by the Open Source Initiative, a nonprofit education and advocacy group. The group's definition involves a series of policies allowing for free redistribution, publication of the underlying source code and no restrictions on who uses the software or how it is used."
Larry Lessig is, naturally, quoted, speaking of a commons. "This is exciting," said Lawrence Lessig, a professor at Stanford Law School and founder of the school's Center for Internet and Society. "It is I.B.M. making good on its commitment to encourage a different kind of software development and recognizing the burden that patents can impose."
Source: Groklaw
