On Fri, 2008-04-04 at 14:06 +0100, MJ Ray wrote: > "zBog BIV" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Can someone license the use of a patent to others as long they don't try to > > enforce their own patents ? > > I think one can, as long as one makes it conditional only on not > attempting to enforce their patents *against that software*. > Otherwise, it is contaminating other software (and maybe hardware and > actions too!) which is more clearly a problem when using the Debian > Free Software Guidelines, but I think it may be a problem for the Free > Software Definition's consequences. At best, it's a practical pain in > the bum.
Patents on software are a pain, period! We all know that. But we need damage control, or risk higher damages. > Also, I really dislike "Intellectual Property" licences that attempt > to use copyright to enforce patent clauses This is technically non-sense, I know what you mean, but you cannot "use copyright law to enforce patent claims". These kind of licenses are just combined copyright+patent licenses. > - only the patent licences > should terminate against patents, to avoid exporting software patent > harm to places which would otherwise be free from them. I think GPLv3 > may be such an Intellectual Property licence, but I haven't reminded > myself about it today. I don't think that necessarily stops it being > a free software licence, but combined Intellectual Property licensing > seems a surprising, dangerous path to be walking. Head under sand does not help either. Simo. _______________________________________________ Discussion mailing list [email protected] https://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/discussion
