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Oracle's policy statement on software patents

Posted by Hemos on from the giving-weight-to-the-lobby dept.

Sanity writes "Oracle has an interesting policy statement in which they explain that while they think software patents are wrong, they are forced to apply for patents as a defensive measure. As the world's third largest independent software producer Oracle's position gives a significant boost to the anti-patent lobby. "

2 of 45 comments (clear)

  1. The Anti-Patent Patent League by Paul+Crowley · · Score: 5

    I don't see any problem with "defensive patents". In fact, I think we should start taking out a few of our own!

    Here's the scheme: we all set up and join the Anti-Patent Patent League. The only condition for membership is that you license all your patents to all other members - you can charge what you like or impose what restrictions you like on non-members. You don't have to have any patents to join: indeed, you can join simply by agreeing to the Patent Sharing Pledge.

    Then the FSF allow you to use such patents in GPL v3, and hey presto! Disavow the patenting system, or be locked out of the biggest patent block in history.

    There are some tricky technicalities, but it seems like the free software community's answer to defensive patents to me. Maybe Oracle would join...
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  2. Definition of "Patent Flooding" by Paul+Crowley · · Score: 5
    I didn't know what this term meant, so I did a Google search which turned up these definitions:
    [...] "patent flooding," the practice of filing large numbers of patents with narrow claims and utility models to "surround" a rival's basic patent on a core technology. ( BRIE Working Paper 89)
    In Japan, filing would expose them to patent piracy of their technology through "patent flooding," i.e., inundating the Japanese Patent Office with hundreds of unworthy patent applications using minuscule modifications of the American invention, followed by bullying tactics to get cross-licensing agreements. ( The Patent Fight Gets Ugly)
    and this extended article: Technology Transfers to Japan: Legal and Cultural Frameworks (search for "flooding").

    Just Another Patent System Stupidity, it seems.
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