The interesting and complex legal issues of 2017

This year's top articles focused on trademarks, open source licensing, and compliance. And, of course, copyright trolling.
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Opensource.com

In 2017, Opensource.com authors addressed the changing legal landscape in several intellectual property areas, including trademarks, open source licensing, and compliance. And copyright trolling continues to be of concern to many, so it's no surprise that our most-read article answered some questions about Patrick McHardy and copyright profiteering.

Other widely read articles focused on nuts-and-bolts open source licensing topics, such as what every technologist should know and open source license management rules for startups. More philosophical pieces also captured readers' attention, covering topics from economically efficient open source license compliance to the difference between free and open source software to free vs. freedom.

Finally, there we some reactions to a specific license proposed by Facebook, both criticizing its React license and arguing that we not over-React.

Looking ahead to 2018, all that is certain is that everything is uncertain. As the world continues to embrace open source, the legal issues surrounding it will no doubt continue to be interesting and complex.

2017's top open source law articles:

  1. Patrick McHardy and copyright profiteering
  2. Open source licensing: What every technologist should know
  3. We don't make software for free, we make it for freedom
  4. 9 open source license management rules for startups
  5. 5 reasons Facebook's React license was a mistake
  6. An economically efficient model for open source software license compliance
  7. What's the difference between open source software and free software?
  8. Europe pledges support for open source government solutions
  9. Don't over-React to the Facebook patents license
  10. Shedding light on foggy GPL licenses
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At Red Hat, David is responsible for managing the company's on-going defense in patent litigation, including evaluating and addressing threatened patent assertions. He is also responsible for advising Red Hat's leadership regarding its financial exposure from patent assertions.

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