IBM Patents Method For Paying Open Source Workers

Frequanaut writes "Oh, the bitter, bitter irony. According to The Inquirer, in a strange move, IBM has patented a method for paying open source volunteers. By the way, if the future of software development is open source, how will anyone get paid when only IBM can do it?" The Inquirer quizzically notes, with regard to this patent: "It may be an ingenious way of paying open source developers and volunteers, Big Blue, but can it really be described as an invention?"

Note to Recent Grads

[fine09]

One more reason you should take a job with McDonalds.

Wow.

[njfuzzy]

Talk about a development likely to elicit mixed feelings.

business idea

[pyros]

Who wants to go halfsies with me to patent "method for paying open source workers" on the web? We'll make a fortune!

Hey!?

[DaRat]

I didn't know that you could patent money!

Or, is IBM paying them with something else? Peanuts? Filtering their spam for them?

Well

[Anonymous Coward]

Nobody will use it anyway.

What open source developer gets paid? Anyone? Bueller?

What about my method

[Raistlix]

I'm convinced that the patent for my method of opening a door and walking through will be completed any day now. Then you'll all owe me big!

Re:Note to Recent Grads

[JargonScott]

When my brother graduated from undergrad, an older prof. at the gym he went to asked what his degree was. "Psychology", he answered. The old prof. said "Oh, that's nice. I hear Wendy's is hiring."

Microsoft

[chunkwhite86]

Next thing you know Microsoft is going to sue IBM for infringing on their patented methods of preventing OSS workers from getting paid.

In other news...

[uucp2]

...SCO patents method for being paid by Open Source workers

I, for one...

[Unnngh!]

...don't feel comfortable working outside of very rigid guidelines. For example, this patent will make my OSS development projects go much smoother, and increase my productivity in some ambiguous way. At least I'll know how to pay myself for my own work, it's pretty important I get all that money.

Hopefully soon, everything about software and computers will be patented, so I can curb my mind from its aweful tendency to stray outside of the box. Go IBM, Microsoft, et al.!

Summary of the Payment Scheme

[The Clockwork Troll]

First, you sign up to get paid (either with IBM or a designated OSR [open source recruiter]).

Next, you start recruiting volunteers. For every 25 volunteers you recruit, your base pay increases by paid $5/hr.

The best part is, every time one of your recruits signs up 25 additional developers, you get a $25 per week bonus!

Really, you can't lose!

In related news

[Nom du Keyboard]

IBM...patented a method for paying open source volunteers.

In related news, SCO claims this is only a derivative work on their system of now getting paid by open source volunteers, and promises to add it to their lawsuit.

Oh yeah

[CGP314]

Oh yeah... well I'm going to patent paying IBM workers. Take that big blue.

--
In London? Need a Physics Tutor? [colingregorypalmer.net]

American Weblog in London [colingregorypalmer.net]

Re:Would you...

[originalTMAN]

will I own them or do I have to buy a license?

Re:What do the numbers on that flowchart represent

[saden1]

It's not a flowchart, it's a pyramid scheme!

Those at the top get most of the money.

Re:Oh yeah

[DragonMagic]

You're applying for a patent in India?

SCO owns this patent

[sbowles]

I would like to inform you that SCO already owns the Intellectual Property associated with this patent.

Anyone wishing to pay open source volunteers must buy a $699 license from SCO.

signed
Darl

I think Mozilla summed it up best for me.

[Mr Z]

When I opened this up in a new tab in Mozilla, the tab read "IBM Patents Meth..."

'Nuff said. Now I know what they're smokin'.

--Joe

In other News...

[blackmonday]

In other news, today Microsoft patented paying people with Xboxes and MCSE courses.

Re:Hey!?

[ImprovOmega]

Filtering their spam for them?

I can see the cardboard sign now - Will work for SPAM filtration.

Re:Note to Recent Grads

[kevcol]

Would you rather swallow your pride or a Wendy's Classic Triple Cheese Combo [wendys.com] with Biggie Fries and medium beverage?

Inventor???

[Screaming Lunatic]

Is it just me or does anyone else find the fact that the second inventor mentioned is named Nimrod?

Here's the the link [uspto.gov] again.

Re:Note to Recent Grads

[mcpkaaos]

No, they only hire people with law degrees.

Re:Note to Recent Grads

[Saeed al-Sahaf]

Judging by the SCO model of software development, one would guess that a law degree is all you need to get into this field...

Great Excuse for Slave Labor

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorry, We'd like to pay you... but that would be patent infringement... now back to work slave! *smack*

Re:Not a safe job

[Anonymous Coward]

A popular line in the outsourcing debate is whether Americans will become a nation of burger flippers, but while you cannot outsource local service jobs like burger flipping, such repetitive acts can be performed locally...by the burger-flipping robot that will replace you.

Don't you understand? It's for the *Children*

[fishbowl]

See, the reason it's a good thing that every single thing that can be conceived of gets patented *today*, is because it's for *the children.*

Not just any children, but for the children of the current generation.

See, all these ridiculous patents (and the reasonable ones as well) are going to expire just as children who are coming into the world right now start to reach the age where they have to work for a living. And LOOK at all the wonderful stuff that will be entering the public domain at the same time!

The only thing left to do is make sure that copyright is freed at the same time!

WE MUST DO IT FOR THE CHILDREN.