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Red Hat

Revision as of 04:04, 2 October 2009 by Ciaran (talk | contribs) (Red Hat filed strongly anti-software-patent briefs for both the 2008 in re Bilski case and the 2009 Bilski v. Kappos case.)


Bilski submissions

Red Hat filed strongly anti-software-patent briefs for both the 2008 in re Bilski case and the 2009 Bilski v. Kappos case.

EU anti-swpat lobbying

During the EU Software Patents directive, Red Hat financed the No Software Patents campaign. Their counsel at the time Mark Webbink was also regularly in the European Parliament.[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

See also

External links

References

  1. I know this from personal contact, but we should find a citation for it.