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21 September 2010, 17:23

Mozilla becomes latest Open Invention Network licensee

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Mozilla has become the latest company to sign up as a licensee of the Open Invention Network which acts as a defensive patent pool for the Linux ecosystem. Patents owned by the OIN are available under licence, royalty-free, to any company, organisation or individual that agrees not to assert its patents against the Linux System.

The OIN was originally founded by IBM and Red Hat and has acquired a number of patents in its portfolio to protect what it defines as a Linux System. "By signing our license, Mozilla affirms that it values the continued openness of Linux and demonstrates its willingness to protect Linux" said the OIN's CEO, Keith Berglet.

Mozilla's VP and General Counsel Harvey Anderson comments in a blog posting "This doesn't mean we're suddenly enthused about patents in any way, but OIN is doing some good work and, I believe that any protections that they afford Mozilla are on the whole more positive and outweigh reservations about the patent system".

(djwm)

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