This is news which will require careful management:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/10/linux_patent_holding/
My take: This is an approach to the symptoms of the software patent problem when the solution is obvious: Don't have software patents in the first place. In any case, I don't expect the approach would be very effective, e.g. it offers no defense at all against pure patent-holding companies.
We shouldn't appear ungrateful to the investors for trying to offer the Free Software community some protection. However, I'd like to know what kind organisation the described OIN is? (Can anyone find a link?) Is it a not-for-profit with a constitution, or is there the danger that the patents could be leaveraged against the Free Software community if the business climate changed?
Malx.
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