Red Hat
Contents
Bilski submissions
In the 2008 Bilski case, submitted a strongly anti-software-patent brief.[1]
SOAP patent controversy
Despite lobbying against software patents, Red Hat has raised some concerns when it began applying for software patents related to SOAP communication. Red Hat offers a non-aggression patent promise, but this promise is indeed a "promise", not a licence, and it's not irrevocable. Thus, if Red Hat had a change of management or was bought out, these patents could be used aggressively. The promise is also limited to only protecting the free software community.
While Red Hat previous owned software patents, these were just incidentally acquired when Red Hat bought other companies. The SOAP patent was worrying because it was the first act showing intent/desire to hold patents in its area of activity.
Press coverage
- Slashdot: Red Hat Patenting Around Open Standards
- H-online: The Red Hat Patent Problem and AMQP
- [http://www.digitalmajority.org/forum/t-140033/red-hat-patents-soap-processing-over-cgi DigtalMajority: Red Hat patents SOAP processing over CGI
- DigitalMajority: Did Red Hat lobby for, or against software patents in Europe?
- BoycottNovell: Red Hat, Microsoft, EU Lobbyists, and Software Patents
- FFII reaction to software patents/Red Hat controversy
- Bricolage - a project which may contain prior art to RH's SOAP patent
See also
- Open Invention Network - of which Red Hat is a member
External links
- 2009-04-31: Red Hat to submit 11-page case against software patents to European regulators - anyone know what happened of this?
- 2009-05-05: Red Hat Makes its Position Patent, by Glyn Moody regarding the EPO EBA referral G3-08
- 2009: Groklaw - Red Hat Makes History With Patent Settlement - Compatible with GPLv3
- "Red Hat Puts Patent Issue to Rest"