Lit Review: Patent Defenses for FOSS Developers
The most recent assignment was to read chapter 4 of the FOSS Primer.
This chapter discusses the concept of patents, and how they affect FOSS.
The Good:
- Explains what is involved in a patent
- Goes into detail about claims and what restrictions a claim may have
- Dedicated to defending yourself against a patent infringement claim
The Bad:
- The entire idea of software patents with FOSS development
- You can get sued for infringing on a patent that “should” be obvious, or that you have never heard of
- Patents vs. their intended purpose
The Questions:
- Why is searching for patents discouraged?
- What open source licenses are “most” compatible with licensing
- Why are so many common software “inventions” patentable?
Rating: 7/8 Stallman Beards
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