OSI Refers Novell Patent Deal To Authorities 88
WebMink writes "Worried that the unholy alliance of Microsoft, Apple, Oracle and EMC — hardly known for their collaboration — is establishing a patent troll called CPTN to attack open source software, the Open Source Initiative has announced that they have referred the Novell deal over to the German competition authorities."
Re:In Germany? (Score:5, Insightful)
Ahem. (Score:3, Insightful)
"...is establishing a patent troll called CPTN to attack open source software..."
As they say in the fact verification industry, [citation needed].
Re:Cross-Licensing (Score:5, Insightful)
Is the poster arguing we should eliminate the patent system?
I don't know about original poster, but my argument would be on the line of eliminating patents for software. Copyright and trade-secret should be more than enough for software (even disregrading what the trademark can do: see the faec... errr.. pardon me... facebook I meant)
Re:Ahem. (Score:5, Insightful)
The summary does not state that this is what the listed companies are doing; it states that this is what OSI is worried they're doing. It's a small but critical difference. And the linked OSI statement explains quite succinctly why they're worried about this.
You can quote anything out of context to make it sound ridiculous.
Re:Wouldn't the Sherman AntiTrust Act apply in the (Score:4, Insightful)
That's adorably naive.
In America, the Sherman Antitrust Act is a legal artifact, like "Common Law" and sodomy legislation. While technically still legal precedent, ever since the second revolutionary war(the invisible one) America has all but stopped enforcing such barbaric refuges of bigotry(anti-corporate discrimination).
I for one welcome our new corporate overlords.
I, for one, do not welcome them. And I think you might not either if you have your wish -- your comment is adorably naive. These corporate overlords do not care about personal loss or gain. They do not care about the environment. They do not care about humanity. They do not care about learning nor innovation. They do not care about you. The only thing they care about is their bottom line, extracting fortune and knowledge from the "commoners", stifling innovation, controlling what you think, and controlling how and where you spend your money. I, for one, eagerly anticipate the downfall of the United States of America not because I hate the people but because the people no long have freedom -- you have given it away to a government that is controlled by your corporate overlords and no longer cares about the people. Fortunately the economy of the USA seems to be supporting freedom indirectly by slowly and agonisingly collapsing. Keep your corporate overlords.