Why the software world needs a patent 'no-fly zone'
The software industry may be just as notable for its nasty legal battles as for its many useful products, but for the past 10 years, the Open Invention Network has been quietly working to change all that.
Launched back in 2005, the OIN was formed by IBM, Novell, Philips, Red Hat and Sony to create a protected zone of patents around core Linux and open source software technologies -- functionality that's essential for open source projects and companies like OpenStack, Linux, Red Hat, SUSE, Android and Apache.
The idea, essentially, is to acquire patents covering key technologies and license them royalty-free to participating members. In exchange, those participants agree not to assert their own patents against Linux and Linux-related systems and applications within that core area.
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