Google Joins the Open Invention Network Board

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."

Comments

Content-free PR speak

[recoiledsnake]

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/