Kernel developers' position on GPLv3

Posted Sep 22, 2006 17:15 UTC (Fri) by alexbk (subscriber, #37839)
Parent article: Kernel developers' position on GPLv3

"As drafted, this currently looks like it would potentially jeopardise the entire patent portfolio of a company simply by the act of placing a GPLv3 licensed programme on their website. "

Does it really? I smell FUD here. GPLv3 has an explicit patent grant, but only for the functionality implemented by the distributed program.

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Kernel developers' position on GPLv3

Posted Sep 22, 2006 17:46 UTC (Fri) by minghua (guest, #39620) [Link] (2 responses)

"GPLv3 has an explicit patent grant, but only for the functionality implemented by the distributed program."

From what I heard, the problem is that nobody can be very sure about the functionalities in the program he distributes. Most big companies distributes Linux kernel, but does that mean they have reviewed every line of code in the kernel and compared with their patent portfolio, to make sure nothing they hold patent is implemented in the kernel? I am afraid not.

Kernel developers' position on GPLv3

Posted Sep 22, 2006 18:16 UTC (Fri) by pyxis (guest, #15886) [Link]

If companies can't review every line of code in the kernel can the user ????

Surely not.

But GPLv3 clearly prevent an evil company to sue for patent infingment users of the code the same company distributed.

For this reason we should consider the GPLv3 a wonderful license.

Or not, if we like the power to sue innocent users...

Kernel developers' position on GPLv3

Posted Sep 22, 2006 18:31 UTC (Fri) by khim (subscriber, #9252) [Link]

Do you really imply that it's easier for the company to check all outside patents then their own patents ? They should check every line of code anyway because they should not ship anything with technologies patented by others. If they can not even check violations of their own patents - it's clear indication that the while patent mess is beyond repair... and it's also means that corporations are quite ready to ship product with unlicensed technology as long as they are not caught...

Kernel developers' position on GPLv3

Posted Sep 22, 2006 19:34 UTC (Fri) by proski (guest, #104) [Link]

FUD indeed. It should read "the entire software patent portfolio". Patents for mousetraps, wheels and rocket propelled broomsticks are not affected.