jeanackle Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 (edited) IBM releases 500 patents for opensource use (on the Boston Herald): http://business.bostonherald.com/technolog...articleid=63073 And more info on that (including a link to the patents list itself) here: http://wiki.ffii.org/IbmListOfPatents0501En Enjoy! :D Edited January 12, 2005 by jeanackle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest anon Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 There is some discord from the anti-patent lobby about this move, they are afraid. Basically they are afraid IBM, with this move, wants to divert attention away from the real issue of wheter software should be patentable. I do not think software patents are a solution to either, but still consider this to be a very positive move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanackle Posted January 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 There is some discord from the anti-patent lobby about this move, they are afraid. Basically they are afraid IBM, with this move, wants to divert attention away from the real issue of wheter software should be patentable. I do not think software patents are a solution to either, but still consider this to be a very positive move. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes, many different interpretations are possible for this move from IBM. But, like you, I also consider it to be positive. SW Patents are present in the USA, Japan and other places maybe, and are being considered here in the EU. To take some already existing ones and making them "opensource" is kind of subverting the sw patents concept IMHO, and doing it out loud! The game is there, IBM played it as they thought best. At first glance, it looks to me as a statement against patents. If there is something else... I don't know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbpersson Posted January 29, 2005 Report Share Posted January 29, 2005 There is some discord from the anti-patent lobby about this move, they are afraid. Basically they are afraid IBM, with this move, wants to divert attention away from the real issue of wheter software should be patentable. I do not think software patents are a solution to either, but still consider this to be a very positive move. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I was thinkiing of becoming a software developer on the Linux desktop, creating superior applications to help Linux attract Windows people. However, I also need to eat and pay the rent. If all software is now to be given away I'm thinking that I should abandon my idea of developing Linux desktop software. Maybe I should instead restore antique cars. :unsure: Are Linux software developers destined to be starving artists? Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest anon Posted January 30, 2005 Report Share Posted January 30, 2005 If all software is now to be given away I'm thinking that I should abandon my idea of developing Linux desktop software. Maybe I should instead restore antique cars. :unsure: You don't have to give it away. While most apps for Linux are free or under the GPL, there is some Linux apps and drivers which are not free. If its good enough and not too expensive people will buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanackle Posted January 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2005 (edited) If all software is now to be given away I'm thinking that I should abandon my idea of developing Linux desktop software. Maybe I should instead restore antique cars. :unsure: You don't have to give it away. While most apps for Linux are free or under the GPL, there is some Linux apps and drivers which are not free. If its good enough and not too expensive people will buy it. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I guess anon just gave the answer to your question, pbpersson. But I think I can still add a point or two to that. See, the more Windows users switch to Linux the more Linux developers can charge for their software (as of now they still have to do a bit of "show off" for free). Of course, this is a long term bet, but I think it's in sync with the current tendency. How "free" Linux will continue in this scenario (and how Microsoft and others will react / are reacting) is a source for an enormous debate! This is just a grain of salt in the ocean of this subject... ;) Now, for another grain of salt (maybe a bit more): Software Patents! "Giving away" sw patents is not at all the same as giving away software. Actually, the NON distinction between these two is one of the sw patents supporters tactics. With a sw patents you don't actually "patent" a piece of software, only the idea for it! Thus, you could actually patent an idea for any piece of software, and, instead of developing it yourself, wait for someone else to do it and then sue them for it!!! Yes, it's wacko, but that's basically what you can do with software patents.: an easy way to make easy money! And again, this is just a grain of salt in the grain of sal that is sw patents! Now, considering an european patent costs between 50000 and 150000 EURO, you'll agree this isn't a game that anyone can play... Specially if you actually want to develop software and need to put some resources into it... Hence, and if as said earlier IBM has no hidden agenda on this, I think they made a pretty positive move... Edited January 31, 2005 by jeanackle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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