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November 14, 2006
Opensource indemnity
Opensource indemnity: David Berlind starts off an essay by saying it is unlikely Microsoft will sue groups which use Red Hat Linux on grounds of patent violation. This particular situation may be true, because Microsoft *does* wish to keep on good terms with potential customers. But not all patent-holders may have similar priorities -- we've already seen businesses which collect patents explicitly to gain revenue from later lawsuits. Just because Microsoft may not sue large-pocketed customers who use Red Hat doesn't mean that no such suits may appear, so most businesses would still find it helpful if Red Hat buffered them from any lawsuit exposure.
Posted by JohnDowdell at November 14, 2006 02:12 PM
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Comments
And is there anything to keep a company from selling a patent sometime in the future to someone not quite so benevolent?
Posted by: Skipper Pickle at November 15, 2006 07:42 AM