Is open-source software just one patent away from annihilation? Many people think so and point to the ominous convergence of two trends:
the widening availability of software patents and the willingness of intellectual-property owners to challenge distributors of open-source software.
If someone can obtain a patent to key features of the Linux kernel, couldn’t that person bring the entire open-source community to its knees by
threatening industrywide legal action? At that point, shouldn’t CIOs flee open source for the safety of Microsoft and Sun Microsystems?
the widening availability of software patents and the willingness of intellectual-property owners to challenge distributors of open-source software.
If someone can obtain a patent to key features of the Linux kernel, couldn’t that person bring the entire open-source community to its knees by
threatening industrywide legal action? At that point, shouldn’t CIOs flee open source for the safety of Microsoft and Sun Microsystems?
Link: zdnet.com.com
