Open Source » Licensing

OSI, FSF want inquiry of Microsoft consortium deal on Novell

Protesting the secrecy of the deal, the Open Source Initiative and the Free Software Foundation have jointly asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the purchase of more than 800 patents by a Microsoft-led consortium, CTPN Holdings.

By Joab Jackson and Chris Kanaracus | 21 January, 2011 04:43

Tags: business issues, Free Software Foundation, intellectual property, legal, Microsoft, open source, Open Source Initiative, patent, software

Microsoft, Apple, Oracle, EMC consortium filing withdrawn

In a move that will be seen by many as a sign of open-source advocates' influence, a filing in Germany to create a consortium led by Microsoft to buy Novell patents has been withdrawn.

By Jennifer Baker and Chris Kanaracus | 12 January, 2011 14:19

Tags: Apple, EMC, intellectual property, legal, Microsoft, novell, open source, oracle, patent, software

Software patents hurt everyone, but especially SMBs

Software patents have figured prominently in the news in recent weeks, thanks not just to Oracle's attack on Google but also--more recently--to Paul Allen's breathtaking multi-victim onslaught.

By Katherine Noyes | 01 September, 2010 08:02

Tags: Linux, non-Windows, operating systems, patents, SMBs, software, unix

Linux Foundation offers open source compliance checklist

Organizations that are interested in using open source in their own products but are wary of intellectual property issues might want to examine a new, mostly free, assistance program just launched by the non-profit Linux Foundation.

By Joab Jackson | 11 August, 2010 04:52

Tags: copyright, intellectual property, legal, Linux, linux foundation, open source, patent, software

Court patent ruling leaves software patents intact

The U.S. Supreme Court has ducked the question of whether the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) should continue to issue software patents in a ruling Monday striking down a business-method patent.

By Grant Gross | 29 June, 2010 05:09

Tags: Free Software Foundation, General Patent, intellectual property, legal, Morrison & Foerster, patent, Red Hat, software, Software and Information Industry Association, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, U.S. Supreme Court

Appeals body ducks question of software patentability

No change: That's the result of an 18-monthlong appeals process that the president of the European Patent Office hoped would clarify the rules on whether software may be patented.

By Peter Sayer | 13 May, 2010 03:33

Tags: europe, legal, patents

Novell, Red Hat prevail in user-interface patent case

A U.S. federal jury has found that Novell and Red Hat were not guilty of infringing on user interface patents held by IP Innovation.

By Joab Jackson | 04 May, 2010 03:38

Tags: legal, novell, patents, Red Hat, user interface

Google exec worries over 'rudderless' Java

As if Oracle did not have enough work convincing MySQL users of its good intentions, the company also should set its sites on getting the Java platform back on track, contends a Google chief architect.

By Joab Jackson | 14 April, 2010 06:20

Tags: apache, Google, Java, licensing, open source

IBM executive denies open-source sellout

IBM will not use its open-source patents in any potential legal actions it may bring against TurboHercules, an IBM company executive seemingly asserted on Wednesday.

By Joab Jackson | 09 April, 2010 04:58

Tags: IBM, legal, open source, patents

Open-source advocate enters IBM antitrust fray

Software developer and political lobbyist Florian Mueller weighed in on the European Commission's investigation of monopoly abuse claims against IBM, accusing the computing giant of deserting the interests of the open-source software community.

By Paul Meller | 07 April, 2010 02:39

Tags: antitrust, european commission, European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), Florian Mueller, IBM, Microsoft

FSF to Google: Free the On2 video codec

In an open letter to Google, the Free Software Foundation has urged Google to open source a video codec that it acquired in its purchase of On2, completed Monday.

By Joab Jackson | 23 February, 2010 05:11

Tags: codec, FSF, Google, IP video, On2 Technologies

Open source under threat from 'grey' IP laws

Incomplete laws and intense lobbying from the software industry are contrary to the values of free software and continue to pose a threat to its existence says an independent technology consultant and writer from New Zealand.

By Rodney Gedda | 21 January, 2010 10:58

Tags: Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, copyright, intellectual property, legal, linux.conf.au

Multiple consumer electronics companies hit with GPL lawsuit

The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) has brought a copyright lawsuit against 14 consumer electronics companies for allegedly violating GNU General Public License (GPL) in the use of GPL-licensed software in their products. Among those named in the suit are Best Buy, JVC, Western Digital Technologies and Westinghouse.

By Joab Jackson | 15 December, 2009 07:06

Tags: Free Software Foundation, gpl, GPL violation, lawsuits, legal, licensing, open source, SFLC, software licensing

Lawsuit alleges Palm Pre violates copyright

Artifex Software is suing Palm over the PDF (Portable Document Format) viewer in Palm's Pre smartphone, it said on Thursday.

By Mikael Ricknäs | 07 December, 2009 07:53

Tags: Artifex, copyright, gpl, GPL violation, lawsuits, legal, Palm, Palm Pre, pdf

Software license audits come in multiple flavors

There are several types of software license audits, each with their own risks and variables, experts say.

By Chris Kanaracus | 21 September, 2009 06:03

Tags: auditing, licensing, software licensing

License audits: Preparing now can ease the pain

Oracle licensing consultant Eliot Arlo Colon still remembers the enormous global publishing company that was "so darn confident" it would breeze through an upcoming software license audit unscathed.

By Chris Kanaracus | 21 September, 2009 06:03

Tags: auditing, BSA, compliance, software licensing

Microsoft rivals to purchase 22 patents to defend Linux

A group of Linux proponents will purchase patents formerly held by Microsoft in an effort to defend distributors of the open-source OS against the ongoing threat of patent litigation from the software giant.

By Elizabeth Montalbano | 09 September, 2009 05:18

Tags: Linux, Microsoft, Open Invention Network, patents

Free software group attacks Windows 7 'sins'

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) on Wednesday launched a campaign against Microsoft Corp.'s upcoming Windows 7 operating system, calling it "treacherous computing" that stealthily takes away rights from users.

By Eric Lai | 27 August, 2009 06:12

Tags: FSF, Microsoft, open source, Windows 7

Analyst: Microsoft's Windows 7 license numbers misleading

A former Microsoft employee and prominent analyst warned the financial community not to be misled by Microsoft's claims about early corporate adoption of Windows 7.

By Elizabeth Montalbano | 17 July, 2009 07:12

Tags: licensing, Microsoft, Windows 7

Open source software law review goes live

A new legal journal covering analysis and commentary of free and open source software (FOSS) issues has launched today.

By Rodney Gedda | 14 July, 2009 14:23

Tags: free open source software, IFOSSLR, legal, open source

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