Summary: Mozilla joins the OIN (Open Invention Network) as a licensee and some well-known figures in the Free software world have gentle criticism
QUESTIONS about the methodology of the OIN withstanding, Keith and the OIN have done some commendable things to defend GNU/Linux from Microsoft patents [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. This must be why Windows/RAND proponents like Microsoft Florian hate the OIN so much and spend a lot of time bashing it.
Mozilla, a US-based company/foundation, has been expressing concerns about software patents for a few years now. The subject came up this year as well [1, 2, 3], especially because of MPEG-LA, which is headed by a patent troll [1, 2, 3, 4].
In this new press release, Mozilla's joining as an OIN licensee got typical coverage (no exciting details therein):
Open Invention Network (OIN) today extended the Linux ecosystem with the signing of Mozilla as a licensee. By becoming a licensee, Mozilla, the developer of leading software applications including the popular Firefox web browser, has joined the growing list of organizations that recognize the importance of participating in a substantial community of Linux supporters and leveraging the Open Invention Network to further spur open source innovation.
The Open Invention Network, a Durham-based organization founded by a group of companies including IBM and Red Hat, has signed Mozilla as a licensee, extending the patent community of the Linux operating system to the developer of the Firefox web browser.
This doesn’t mean we’re suddenly enthused about patents in any way, but OIN is doing some good work, and I believe that any protections that they afford Mozilla are on the whole more positive, and outweigh reservations about the patent the system.
Martin vonWillebrand, a lawyer from Helsinki, asked Glyn Moody (who expressed scepticism about Mozilla's action until he saw Mozilla's clarification): "Why should Mozilla not join #OIN? I see Open Invention Network as a growing commitment to not assert #Linux #swpats"
Unlike lawyers who profit from patents, there are people like Bradley Kuhn (FSF/SFLC) who wrote: "Not surprised #Mozilla joined #OIN (who doesn't want royalty-free #swpats ?), but #disturbing they wanna do program work w/ pro-patent OIN."
Overall, Techrights considers Mozilla's decision to be a positive development. Techrights also endorses Mozilla's Web browser (Firefox), because unlike Chrome, for example, Firefox is Free software-friendly and software patents-hostile by ideology. ⬆
We still wonder if we should make and actively maintain a shame list (developer/employer) for the people who contaminate Linux the most with slop plagiarism
They've managed to trick some mainstream media into thinking they're "Tech" experts or "Social [Control] Media" gurus; nothing could be further from the truth
There are many Arch derivatives that do not rely on "viral" marketing in MElon's child porn-pushing social control media and are instead relying on real development, not slop
We approach the parts where we explain that the Application to the Court with Garrett's name on it was instead complaining about fair criticism of the combative law firm (irrelevant to any injunctions) as if it was impermissible to explain what it had done - and still does - to my wife and I
