Google Joins the Open Invention Network Board

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Google Joins the Open Invention Network Board

Posted by Unknown on Wednesday December 18, 2013 @06:30AM from the except-regarding-android dept.

sfcrazy writes "Apart from being involved in open source through software, Google promotes the open source model through its various media channels and participation in open source events across the globe. One such initiative has been their affiliation with the Open Invention Network patent pool (OIN). 'Linux now powers nearly all the world's supercomputers, runs the International Space Station, and forms the core of Android. But as open source has proliferated, so have the threats against it, particularly using patents. That's why we're expanding our participation in Open Invention Network, becoming the organization's first new full board member since 2007."

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SGI by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 06:34 · Score: 0

no affiliation with Open Inventor
Nikola Tesla by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 06:38 · Score: 0

This is what Nikola Tesla would have wanted.
1. Re:Nikola Tesla by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 06:48 · Score: 0
  
  Either that, or to not die destitute, penniless, and mostly off his rocker, and thoroughly broken and beaten man.
2. Re:Nikola Tesla by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 07:02 · Score: 0
  
  I did not know that Nikola Tesla wanted all technology to be contributed to a Marxist commune. You learn something new every day!
3. Re:Nikola Tesla by bws111 · 2013-12-18 07:16 · Score: 1
  
  Hmm, let's see just who these 'Marxists' are that are running the 'commune'. IBM, NEC, Novell, Philips, Red Hat, Sony, and Google. Yep, sure sounds like a bunch of Marxists to me.
4. Re:Nikola Tesla by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 07:16 · Score: 0
  
  You wouldn't know what a Marxist was if one walked up and bit you.
5. Re:Nikola Tesla by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 08:00 · Score: 0
  
  Do they do that?!!? Do you turn into a Marxist if one bites you?
6. Re:Nikola Tesla by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 08:27 · Score: 0
  
  Who cares. Totally overrated. If it weren't for Tesla, Einstein, Feynman and Sagan there wouldn't be any science discussions on Facebook.
7. Re:Nikola Tesla by FatdogHaiku · 2013-12-18 09:52 · Score: 1
  
  You wouldn't know what a Marxist was if one walked up and bit you.
  It's the one that doesn't talk and honks a horn that you have to watch out for...
  
  --
  You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
8. Re:Nikola Tesla by davester666 · 2013-12-18 17:36 · Score: 1
  
  Edison was a thorough man.
  
  --
  Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
new clear options abound by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 06:48 · Score: 0

free the innocent stem cells etc....
Thank you slashdot by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 06:51 · Score: 1

This new beta really sucks, and I appreciate that, as it has helped me get away from the computer. My reading on Slashdot has dropped enormously since the beta started, and now I have more time for other things. Thank you so much Slashdot!
Content-free PR speak by recoiledsnake · 2013-12-18 07:19 · Score: 0, Troll

The official blog post is almost entirely content free, except for "expanding the role in OIN", not sure why this is newsworthy exactly, except for Google to make PR noises about being open while locking out FOSS from the real things like Chat, Hangouts, Docs, Android forking, and forcing Google+ on everyone etc.
How many of the thousands of Google patents are they actually pledging to OIN? 50%? 80%? 1%?
If you want to read a more interesting take on patents and Google, there is this article. http://www.technologyreview.com/news/521946/googles-growing-patent-stockpile/

--
This space for rent.
1. Re:Content-free PR speak by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 09:32 · Score: 0, Interesting
  
  As I've posted before, recoiledsnake is a paid microsoft shill with a lot of sock puppet accounts that mod this crap up. Please disregard his post.
  He's misrepresenting facts as usual by linking to a totally unrelated story. The story is about google growing its patent portfolio to fight potential threats from apple and microsoft.
2. Re:Content-free PR speak by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 10:11 · Score: 1
  
  As I've posted before, recoiledsnake is a paid microsoft shill with a lot of sock puppet accounts that mod this crap up. Please disregard his post.
  He's misrepresenting facts as usual by linking to a totally unrelated story. The story is about google growing its patent portfolio to fight potential threats from apple and microsoft.
  Trying to silence somebody as you are doing makes it quite clear that he probably has a point that you dont want people to know. If you offered an adequate rebuttal rather than begging people to ignore the post then people might take your position more seriously.
3. Re:Content-free PR speak by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 10:20 · Score: 0
  
  He's misrepresenting facts as usual by linking to a totally unrelated story. The story is about google growing its patent portfolio to fight potential threats from apple and microsoft.
  Firstly if that is what they were doing then they would indemnify Android OEMs from patent lawsuits, but they don't. There is an existing threat from Microsoft and despite your koolaid-based assertion Google are doing nothing about it, you just believe whatever Google tells you.
  Secondly his point about Google's openness is valid, with the closed-source, proprietary Google Play Services, the locked down SaaS Google Apps suite and all the proprietary technologies in Hangouts they seem very keen to make sure a good amount of their products stay locked down and proprietary despite preaching openness. Google Play Services for example did not need to be closed-source and proprietary but they did that to create lock in and prevent users from migrating to non-Google versions of Android.
4. Re:Content-free PR speak by PopeRatzo · 2013-12-18 11:21 · Score: 1
  
  You're right. Maybe it would be for the best if Google stayed far away from OIN.
  Seriously.
  
  --
  You are welcome on my lawn.
5. Re:Content-free PR speak by Sudline · 2013-12-18 19:07 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe there are reasons for some software to not be open. Such as ease for web attacks.
6. Re:Content-free PR speak by Sudline · 2013-12-18 19:09 · Score: 1
  
  Or perhaps you are one of these sockpuppets. Just an hypothesis.
And then! by BisuDagger · 2013-12-18 07:29 · Score: 1

Google issues a patent on creating open source code and profits. But seriously, this isn't a huge surprise because google has been working with OIN since 2007 and who wouldn't want them on their board.
Agreed by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 08:53 · Score: 1

Hate the new layout. I suppose they could have added a "like" or a "hate" button. Probably not the end of /. but well on their way to Digg-ing their grave.
huh? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-18 09:17 · Score: 0

going joins something to protect their investments?
they are not doing this to keep 'things free', they are doing this so microsoft and company doesn't take a giant shit on them