[Reader-list] IBM frees 500 software patents

[Pankaj kaushal]

Oli wrote:
> 
[snip]
> So, open source is not innocent. It's a tool being used more and more 
> for competitive advantage. How does the 'open source community' react? 
> Is this an issue and for whom?

What exactly is innocence? Work for free? Not earning money? Not
earning lots of money? What is the problem with lots of big
companies using free software and making money out of free software?
The code is still available for you and me with the same basic
freedoms[1]. Is that not the idea?

If IBM were to put some 'paid' developers to work on eclipse, what
would happen? what difference would it make? None. The idea is for
the software to be available in the public domain. Who is writing
or supporting the software is not important. If I do it because
I am motivated or I need that software myself or that I am getting
paid to write does not make a difference as long as the software is
free[2].

I believe it is good for the free software developers to find big
companies showing interest in free software. It would just mean more
and more developers will be working full time on their hobby projects
and how can that be bad for the developers or the quality of the
software?


[1] http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
[2] http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

-- 
Morality is heard instinct in the individual.
	-- Nietzsche.