> If software is non-free just because someone files patent suits > against those who use it, then Linux is non-free also. Microsoft has > claimed for years to have patents that make it illegal to redistribute > Linux without its permission, and it has sued one company (TomTom) on > those grounds. Likewise, Apple recently sued HTC on a theory that > boils down to the claim that probably all web browsers infringe its > patents, IIRC. How is this different from Oracle suing Google? > > Almost all software might theoretically be covered by someone's > patents, but practically speaking, that doesn't make it non-free. > It's still free as long as modified versions can be widely > disseminated in practice, and that's still the case for Java up until > Oracle starts collecting royalties as a matter of course. >
Exactly. We better start planning our route away from PHP, it may have technology patented in Java, and we all know how Oracle loves to sue. -- Ryan Lane _______________________________________________ Wikitech-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikitech-l
