Comments on: In 2008 It Is Good To Recycle [fake news]

By: Gareth Horton

Gareth Horton — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 01:01:58 +0000

What is more amusing is the post by NalabRock on the http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-39421/the-list-of-microsoft-s-us-software-patents-covering-ooxml

link –

“OPEN Standard means you must use LINUX”

A true libertarian and open source thought leader.

Gareth

By: oliver

oliver — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:26:08 +0000

Thanks Harish.

At some point we should talk about the OSP, and the similar grants from Sun and IBM. Given that all three of these grant rights directly to anybody who needs them you can think of it like this;

When you’re next on the MRT look at a random individual and consider that fact that that individual personally has been granted any rights that they need to implement, use or do anything else with OpenXML, ODF or any other standard that is covered by such a covenant. In the case of the OSP those rights are granted irrevocably and perpetually, I believe other covenants do the same.

It is hard to work out what else the industry could possibly offer. It is already a non-issue.

By: Harish Pillay

Harish Pillay — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:36:05 +0000

Thanks, Oliver, for the post. Indeed, it does appear that there were similar posts by two different people at about the same time. It can be that both of us are mistaken in the details, but then again, if it is wrongly attributed, I stand corrected – I will have to re-check my sources.

FWIW, I would welcome MS to join the Open Invention Network – http://www.openinventionnetwork.com/ – and put any and all “patents” that MS owns – at least with regards to document formats – to the public commons via the OIN so that open source developers are indeed free to innovate.

Let’s engage across the board with a view to make the whole “software patent” issue a non-issue. We have bigger problems to solve.