| Google becomes first Open Invention Network user licensee |
Aug. 07, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO--Open Invention Network, the company formed to obtain patents to spur innovation and protect Linux, announced the signing of Google as its first user licensee.
OIN was formed in 2005 by IBM, Sony Corp., Philips N.V. and Linux distributors Red Hat Inc. and Novell Inc. to protect Linux from patent attacks. Since then other major IT companies, like Oracle have joined the OIN.
OIN patents are available royalty-free to any company, institution or individual that agrees not to assert its patents against Linux. This enables companies to continue to make significant corporate and capital expenditure investments in Linux—helping to fuel economic growth. By developing a web of Linux developers, distributors, sellers, resellers and end-users that license its patent portfolio, OIN is creating a supportive and shielded ecosystem to ensure the growth and adoption of Linux.
"As we look to grow the Linux Ecosystem, we are pleased to have Google become our first end-user licensee," said Jerry Rosenthal, the OIN's CEO. "Google is one of a growing number of companies, of all sizes, that value the openness and collaborative culture of the Linux community. We applaud their support for Linux."
"Linux plays a vital role at Google, and we're strongly committed to supporting the Linux developer community," said Chris DiBona, Google open source programs manager in a statement. "We believe that by becoming an Open Invention Network licensee, we can encourage Linux development and foster innovation in a way that benefits everyone. We're proud to participate in OIN's mission to help Linux thrive."
In an e-mail conversation, Chris Ulbrich, a Google's PR representative said, "One thing you'll hear the open source group at Google say is that 'Every time you use Google, you're using Linux.' It's absolutely true. Check a Google engineer's workstation, and you'll probably find it's running Linux. Do a search on Google.com, and a Linux server will return your results. Ever since Google got its start, Linux has given us the power and flexibility we need to serve millions of users around the world."
"In turn, we feel a strong responsibility to the Linux community, and we're always looking for creative ways to put our resources in the hands of Linux developers. That's why today we became a licensee of the OIN," said Ulbrich.
"The concept behind OIN is simple," explained Ulbrich. "All OIN licenses ... agree to cross-license their Linux-related patents to the others free of charge. Patent issues therefore become a much smaller concern inside the community, and OIN members can focus their energy on writing and releasing software rather than vetting their code for intellectual property issues. It's the legal equivalent of taking a long, deep, relaxing breath."
All together, OIN has accumulated more than 100 strategic, worldwide patents and patent applications. These patents are available to all licensees as part of the patent portfolio that OIN is creating around, and in support of Linux. The plan is that this will make it economically attractive for companies that want to repackage, embed and use Linux to host specialized services or create complementary products.
—Steven J. Vaughan Nichols
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