IBM announced this week that it will allow open source software developers to use 500 of its software patents for free, and without fear of prosecution.
The move follows similar initiatives by other Linux-friendly companies, and although the technologies in question represent a mere drop in the ocean for IBM, which holds 10,000 patents in the United States alone, is likely to be appreciated by supporters of the open source operating system.
According to IBM, the patents being offered to programmers include protocols for exporting files, technologies allowing interoperability between databases and operating systems, and user interfaces. The firm also revealed that it plans to grant royalty-free access to more patented technologies in the future.
In a statement, the company announced that:
"Through measures such as today's pledge, we will increasingly use patents to encourage and protect global innovation and interoperability through open standards, and we urge others to do so as well. We will work with the USPTO and other commentators and policymakers to ensure that the US patent system continues to evolve to address the challenges of the innovation economy."
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