Stallman Unimpressed by Nokia Patent Pledge

Joe Barr writes "NewsForge is running a commentary by Richard Stallman on the recent PR blitz by Nokia concerning their promise not to enforce patent claims against the Linux kernel project. Stallman's take? "In effect, Nokia is lobbying the European Union to give Nokia and many others a new kind of weapon to shoot at software authors and users with--and telling the legislators, 'Don't worry, it's safe to let private armies carry these guns, because we promise that our gunmen won't shoot anyone in that building.'""

Comments

bussiness

[diegocgteleline.es]

1) Try to make software patents valid everywhere
2) File some patents
3) Allow open source software to use your patents
4) ???

So, if patents are a "good thing" that encourages innovation, why is nokia allowing open source (ie: anyone) to use them for free? As far as I can see, they're contradicting themselves

of threats and loaded guns

[v1]

You don't give a loaded gun to someone unless you want them to be able to shoot someone. Conversely, you don't carry a loaded gun unless you have the resolve to use it should the need arise.

Anyone telling you they want to carry a loaded gun around just because they want to brandish it or "just because", is either lying to you or is a fool. Since decisions like this are made by lawyers, it's very unlikely they are playing the fool. That leaves only one alternative.

Companies will take their actions and determination as far as they possibly can, "to the full extent of the law" is the usual phrase used. If you give them a foot, don't expect them to stop at 10 inches just because they say they will. They have absolutely every intention of using the full foot when push comes to shove and they want something bad enough. If they had no intention of using the full foot, they wouldn't be even slightly concerned about you trying to limit them to 10 inches.

Laws are there to STOP people from taking things too far. If the law places the line anywhere besides where it belongs, the law is broken.

Patents have everything to do with weapons

[pieterh]

You are entirely wrong. The language of business is strongly based on terms of war: conquest, crush the opposition, gain territory...

Patents are most definitely weapons, using the same language. Patents are used for offense and for defense and are expensive. The patent industry are arms dealers (again, using the same metaphorical language) and the sale of patents, just like the sale of arms, will enable war and violence between those who want and those who have.

Patents are weapons and unfortunately are used mainly by the strong against the weak.

And Stallman is most definitely sane, and exceptionally clear in his analysis. If you do not understand him, that's OK. It's a bit intellectual. But kindly don't insult one of the visionaries of our age... it just makes you look silly.

Re:Patents have everything to do with weapons

[pieterh]

And yet... 25 years ago, Stallman defined an thesis that today has changed the world. Free software is not an opinion, it's not an ideology. It is a reality, and it happens not because of Stallman's opinion, nor yours or mine, but because it's a natural and efficient way for programmers to collaborate.

Stallman is a visionary, and I'm not a drone for saying that. He recognised the future and put into words and the GPL is that statement.

I've spent much of my life writing free software. Why is that a joke? Is it because you are unable to understand it? Yet it makes perfect (economic) sense to me, the author, to distribute for free what I cannot sell, because it's worth much more to me alive and kicking than dead on a shelf.

Incidentally, free software is most definitely property. It's just communal property, not private property. The distinction is essential.

Re:In a public Nokia statement...

[Timesprout]

I know you are joking but you have point. If I was a senior exec at Nokia right now I might be thinking 'well fuck you stallman you ungrateful cunt' as I call the legal dept and ask them to start looking into potential patent infrinments of FOSS.

I think the community as a whole would be better served if Mr Stallman could just say, thanks Nokia for making a step in the right direction but theres a way to go yet. Provoking them pointlessly and making absolutely absurd analogies is only going to come back and bite you in the end.

Its like the US, slow to anger but watch out when they pick the big stick up cos someone is getting it royally.

Irony of patents for Nokia et al

[pieterh]

I was at a FFII panel presentation last week. I spoke to representatives from Alcatel and British Telecom.

Very pro-patent. They argue that patents are all that protect them from "invasion by the Chinese". I asked the woman from Alcatel whether they used Linux. Yes. In house, for much of their development. In their boxes, it's Linux everywhere.

These companies, like Nokia, are profiting from the rising sea of open source and especially Linux, which is more and more becoming an essential ingredient of their production process.

So it's normal that they want to "protect Linux" in some way. What they still have to face, and this is what I told them, is that their precious patents will cause the demise of the open source economy, including Linux, in Europe, and hasten the advance of competitors who do not have the same patent regimes.

Indeed, patents in Europe are a threat to everyone including large vendors like Nokia, and even Microsoft, but people are so panicked that they can't see straight.

Basically the software industry has been hijacked by the patent business - the EPO burocracy and patent attorneys. These people are simple parasites and if they win this battle, they will suck the life out of the software industry.

The reason many open source projects are not being attacked today is because software patents are still settling. There are some attacks but overall the goal of patent owners is to enforce their patents against smaller commercial rivals, collect larger patent portfolios, and only attack open source projects where there is direct and immediate competition.

Re:In a public Nokia statement...

[Rakshasa Taisab]

"It was nice of you to try so hard, even though you did nothing, and we applaud you."

I think the community, (maybe we're talking about different communities?), is better served with Stallman pointing out how useless the Nokia announcement is. Although most of us could see it immidiately, some didn't.

Re:I piss on Stallman

[Arker]

Whenever Stallman gets mentioned here, the trolls come out in force. Nothing else seems to do half as well at motivating them.

I have to say, that's a pretty good indication the man is on the right side.

Rock on Richard.

Re:o_O

[golgotha007]

Just because you may not have the balls to stand up and announce to the world what you think is right doesn't mean you should ridicule or belittle those who do.

Both the Linux kernel and the GNU tools are essential for an operating system.

Though he may be eccentric at times, I wholeheartedly applaud Richard Stallman and what his efforts have provided to the rest of the world (for free as in freedom and beer, I might add).

Why the younger generation open source enthusiasts continue to badger Mr. Stallman is beyond me. Shame on you.

Re:In a public Nokia statement...

[denis-The-menace]

...as I (Nokia exec) call the legal dept and ask them to start looking into potential patent infrinments of FOSS.
And therefore prouving RMS' point.

Re:Stallman......Unimpressed ?

[say]

This is probably more of a result of the way the media works. When do Slashdot publish writeups on Stallman? When he complains about something. Almost everyone who get attention are either complaining or some kind of entertainment superstar.

For all we know, Richard Stallman might be sitting on a chair enjoying life ninety-nine out of a hundred days.

On a more serious note: There is a rather grave difference between being pleased personally, and being pleased professionally. Stallman is professionally known to be a man of great demands and little compromise. It's probably because the wrong questions are asked that we never hear about him being pleased. Personally, I think he's quite a pleased guy.