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Osdl launches open source patent protection

Posted by tadelste on · 3 comments
VNUNet.com; By Tom Sanders
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The Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) has unveiled a Patent Commons Project that will help developers to avoid infringing patents. The not-for-profit organisation, which aims to further the adoption of Linux, employs several open source developers including Linux creator Linus Torvalds.OSDL chief executive Stuart Cohen said at the LinuxWorld tradeshow in San Francisco that the project will build a library of patents that have been pledged to support open source.

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Comments (3)

The OSDL is either unable to unwilling to take ownership of the patents. They will not use this collection of information to defend patents. We don't need another wiki full of patent information, we need the OSDL to lead a grassroots effort for patent reform, because patent reform is critical to the continued health of open-source development. This is a waste of time.
I disagree, it is not waste of time. Actually OSDL is buying us time until we can collectively reform the USP laws. It is not an easy battle, it is going to be a touch and long one. If we don't win, at least what OSDL is doing now is not lost, it would be our contingency fallback.
This should be of interest, regarding the issue of software patents and other associated issues: http://lwn.net/Articles/146412/ (might require being a subscriber to lwn.net).

It's about the establishment of the "Software Freedom Law Center".

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