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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.

1 of 117 comments (clear)

  1. I'm always wary of anything Rosen says by asuffield · · Score: 1, Troll

    Aside from working for OSI for a while, Rosen is also better known for creating some licenses that weren't exactly free and trying to pass them off as being the real thing (failure; nobody uses them), and generally supporting companies who try to exploit the "open source" label for publicity without actually releasing any free software.

    Don't be fooled. He may not be actively opposed to free software, but he's not working for it either. He's just a hanger-on that's trying to profit from it. It's unclear whether it's due to greed or simple ignorance, but his idea of an "open source" business model tends to be "people give us software for free and then we sell it" - not exactly evil, but pretty much missing the point. You know the type: "we'll give you the source, if you change anything you must give it to us, we own all your changes, you can't release it without our approval, and we get to sell it".