Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Open Source Business Model Using Software Patents

Posted by kdawson on from the say-it-ain't-so dept.

Joe Barr writes "Robin Miller has an exclusive video interview with Larry Rosen and Fred Popowich this morning on Linux.com about their new open source business model which includes software patents in its DNA. Their motto is 'Free for open source, everyone else pays.' Larry Rosen was once legal counsel for the OSI." Linux.com and Slashdot share a corporate parent.

4 of 117 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Legal? by serviscope_minor · · Score: 3, Informative

    How is legal to freely license patents to one party while charging for those patents when licensed to another party?

    Different licensing conditions == different price.

    That's perfectly fair, and legal.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
  2. Re:Legal? by seeker_1us · · Score: 4, Informative
    It's your patent.

    If you want to issue a blanket license to anyone using GPL for $0.00, you can. Someone doesn't want to meet those terms for automatic license? Fine, they just have to pay you something else.

    From a legal perspective its fine (IANAL).

    Software patents are still broken though.

  3. Re:As a small business owner by CSMatt · · Score: 3, Informative

    That would be against the existing copyright license anyway, since you have to attribute the original developers of your software.

  4. something like that.. by wixi · · Score: 2, Informative
    http://twext.com/patent is trying this strategy.. i'm not sure it's a "software" patent, the claims are more about A.) a way to format text for language learners and B.) a method to array text so software can easily format the text..
    • http://olpcnews.com/content/localization/learning_language.html
    • http://wiki.laptop.org/go/WiXi
    the patent makes me feel slightly safer to share the idea.. the open license gives me B.) hope to develop the software (IANAL nor programmer) and A.) a free way to promote "free" uses of the software and resulting texts.. free promotion of the tool wants to cause commercial usage from which i hope to earn back my investment and then invest in something good.. evil?