@idl3 You accurately portray the FSF's position but it's a utopian one (not your fault as the messenger). There is no such thing as patent-unencumbered software. The FSF calls Linux ("GNU/Linux") a "free" operating system but very significant organizations with lots of patent expertise in house pay royalties for their use of Linux: Amazon (which itself is a patent aggressor, so they know how to attack and will know how to defend themselves), Salesforce (that blowhard gave up about six weeks after a lawsuit was actually field), Samsung, HTC, TomTom, and who knows how many others. Far be it from me to like the idea of software patents and royalties that are paid on them, but if the FSF wants patent-unencumbered software, it has to use stuff that was open-sourced more than 20 years ago (and - very importantly - not changed since then):
http://fosspatents.blogspot.com/2010/07/richard-stallmans-mono-and-dotgnu.html
Discussion on:
Message 8 of 1
The best of ZDNet, delivered
ZDNet Newsletters
Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox
