July 12th, 2007
Another IBM patent dump
IBM has made another patent dump, this time granting universal access to over 150 patents meant to assure that software can interoperate.
I’m certain people will complain IBM is only doing this for its own corporate advantage. The patents were previously available without royalties, but now IBM is promising not to sue unless someone sues it first.
It’s clear that the patent system is broken, especially as relates to software. Concessions like this would not be necessary if patents were doing what they were supposed to be doing, encouraging innovation, rather than discouraging it.
But as my Irish great-aunt used to say, if wishes were horses beggars would ride. Or to quote Jimmy Durante (1893-1980), “Dese are de conditions dat prevail.”
So concessions like this are welcome, and I wish more companies would follow suit. Good night, Mrs. Palmisano, wherever you are.
Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist for 30 years, a tech freelancer since 1983. You can follow Dana on Twitter. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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| 07/13/07
