On The Insider: Britney's Bikini-Clad Top 10
BNET Business Network:
BNET
TechRepublic
ZDNet
TalkBack 35 of 67:
Next »
« Previous
Linux plagues patents
If you were paying attention, there was an article a day or two ago that stated that 50% of patent reviews brought before the courts ended with the patent being declared invalid. 50%!. That's an astounding figure. And I submit to you that this is the reason that no one is going after Linux through patents, even though everyone's had 13 years to do so. If you're a proprietary software company, you're running a high risk of losing your cash cow, as most of the "meat and potatoes" patents in the software/hardware realm happened before 1980 and are/were owned by IBM, DEC AT&T, GE, etc and many are now public domain. Most anything after that stands an extremely large chance of being shot down via prior art if the patent comes under review.

And guess what? There are now organized groups (such as http://www.eff.org ) who are dedicated to challenging patents in the U.S. and Europe. I submit to you that increasingly, what we're going to be reading about is not that Linux is threatened by patents, but that Microsoft or IBM or Sun, etc. etc. etc. is having patents taken away at legal challenges brought about by these public interest groups.

Oh, and I'm going browse through those old Fortran program listings that I kept for all these years (since the 70's). Don't know why I kept 'em...just nostalgia, really. But who knows, that animation algorithm I worked on back in '76 as my own little pasttime may come in useful to the EFF in shooting down a patent or two through demonstration of prior art. happy
Posted by: Yen_z   Posted on: 08/05/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
Reply to Story Reply to Message

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

The Sky Is Falling! The Sky Is Falling! Ahhhh!  P. Douglas | 08/05/04
Well what the hey!  Jay Cash | 08/05/04
hahahaha  ejourner | 08/05/04
The green party, Munich Linux Patents  Nigel Johnstone | 08/05/04
EP0689133 (Adobe tabbed pallettes) 27-Dec-95  Nigel Johnstone | 08/05/04
tab patent invalid  Joe Blow_z | 08/05/04
Borland's Delphi had tabs too.  enduser_z | 08/06/04
EP335638 System for coordination activities of plurality of actors (1989)  Nigel Johnstone | 08/05/04
EP501416 Document data processing method for document retrieval  Nigel Johnstone | 08/05/04
EP0807891 Stateless Shopping Carts, Sun 1997  Nigel Johnstone | 08/05/04
EP0927945 Amazon taking the 'p'  Nigel Johnstone | 08/05/04
FUD for FUD?  OhMyGosh | 08/05/04
Microsoft offers true indemnification  Mike Cox | 08/05/04
Of whom?  IT_User | 08/05/04
Users included  Anton Philidor | 08/06/04
Microsoft Offers Almost Useless Indemnification  David Mohring | 08/05/04
denial  ejourner | 08/05/04
nonsense  alstew | 08/16/04
every time i power on  ejourner | 08/05/04
9/10  Tran McNally | 08/06/04
Alarmist headlines  IT_User | 08/05/04
Alarmist conclusions  Anton Philidor | 08/06/04
Patent system SHOULD be falling  seosamh_z | 08/05/04
Yep  IT_User | 08/05/04
I read yours  seosamh_z | 08/05/04
Don't worry--IBM, Novell, Red Hat, etc. will see to it that it will  Jeff Spicoli | 08/05/04
Linux isn't the issue, Jeff  IT_User | 08/05/04
In the mean time...  hipparchus2000 | 08/05/04
Don't Worry  alstew | 08/16/04
I Agree  P. Douglas | 08/05/04
This can be applied to more than just Linux  Chad_z | 08/05/04
Yes, all of open source is at risk  Anton Philidor | 08/06/04
Already started  seosamh_z | 08/07/04
Not just open source  voska | 08/09/04
Linux plagues patents  Yen_z | 08/05/04
Open Source Is An Affront To Capitalism  chrislovesdana | 08/05/04
Monopolies are a greater Affront To Capitalism  David Mohring | 08/05/04
YES, YES a brain resides here  ejourner | 08/05/04
What sort of computer did you use to write your post?  Jay Cash | 08/05/04
Oh, I hope you're kidding...  Martin Marvinski | 08/06/04
If you believe that about Open Source and Capitalism, you will love this:  B.O.F.H. | 08/06/04
Open Source is Capitolism at it's best.  voska | 08/09/04
Excessive capitalism is an affront to democracy  techboy_z | 08/11/04
Patent system plunders Microsoft, threatens customers  David Mohring | 08/05/04
yup  ejourner | 08/05/04
microsoft, just leave  ejourner | 08/05/04
Funny, your hero says the same thing.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/06/04
but the free software communityhas been amassing patents too  hipparchus2000 | 08/05/04
And then gave everything away with the GPL.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/06/04
Try reading the GPL  voska | 08/09/04
Would like to know source of financing  donpar@... | 08/05/04
Easy, it's the Public Patent Foundation.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/06/04
Time to re-read your EULAs.  Seething Ganglia | 08/06/04
Guess all that freedom is all that free  FilledOut | 08/06/04
Proprietary protection ???  Update victim | 08/06/04
Sorry, you are wrong.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/06/04
Subject too does not mean you are the target  voska | 08/09/04
Where I disagree completely.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/06/04
Which is your right  seosamh_z | 08/06/04
The GPL has been tested in one court already  B.O.F.H. | 08/06/04
Completely different context.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/07/04
You want to invalidate end user/developer licences?  B.O.F.H. | 08/07/04
GPL is based upon US Copyright law  B.O.F.H. | 08/07/04
You missed the point of unique  voska | 08/09/04
You're kidding, right?  Robert Crocker | 08/10/04
Europe cures the plague  ehj | 08/09/04
Thanks God  alstew | 08/16/04

What do you think?

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

advertisement
advertisement
Click Here

Meet Doc

  • Here to help you with your Document Management Needs
  • Doc is an enigma. Born to a Russian ballerina and a German electrical engineer, he grew up in various locations in the United States. He’s seen the insides of more brands, versions, and generations of printer and printer-related hardware than almost anyone.
  • To learn more about this mysterious figure check out his blog on ZDNet and his Workspace on TechRepublic. You’ll be glad you did.
  • Produced by
    ZDNet and