Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Google Joins OIN: Good News for Linux Developers

Open Invention Network (OIN) was formed to help Linux developers to minimize problems about patents while working on something based on Linux. Patent can be a bone of contention in the business world and we hear of patent problems, conflicts and lawsuits all the time. OIN can help to reduce the problem significantly if you are a Linux developer.

Good thing is that Google has joined OIN now and it would surely boost OIN further. Google is the big name in Internet world today. In the official blog of Google, Chris DiBona, Open Source Programs Manager has written an article about this matter.

He wrote:

In turn, we feel a strong responsibility to the Linux community, and we’re always looking for creative ways to put our resources in the hands of Linux developers. That’s why today we became a licensee of the Open Invention Network (OIN), an innovative patent-sharing organization founded to create a legally protected environment for anyone who works with Linux.

The concept behind OIN is simple. All OIN licensees, including participants such as IBM, Oracle, NEC and Sony, agree to cross-license their Linux-related patents to the others free of charge. Patent issues therefore become a much smaller concern inside the community, and OIN members can focus their energy on writing and releasing software rather than vetting their code for intellectual property issues. It's the legal equivalent of taking a long, deep breath.

This is good news for all the Linux developers around the world. The inclusion of Google in OIN will help everyone in the long run.

What do you think about it?

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