Submission + - Google Announces Android "PAX" Cross-License Program – But to What Purpose
Andy Updegroved writes: Remember the bad old days of SCO and Microsoft's "267 patents infringed by Linux and other important open software?" They also brought us OSDL (now The Linux Foundation) and the Open Invention Network, which continue to protect Linux. And then there were the announcements that were really just PR exercises, like the multiple, public "patent non-assertion" pledges made by IBM, Nokia, Sun Microsystems, Oracle, Motorola and other companies. What all of them had in common was the goal of reassuring customers and developers that that they could safely develop and use Linux and other core OSS. We haven't seen anything like that in a long time — until now.
On Monday, Google made a brief and not much noticed announcement of a new "PAX" patent cross licensing program intended to create a spreading umbrella of patent protection for Android and related apps. The question is why? The announcement and the related website are extremely brief, and although everyone is invited to get a copy of the cross license, Google reserves the right to decide first whether your motives are pure and you can keep a secret. And so far, the only members of the "PAX Community" listed so far are existing Google business partners.
Is Google aware of some new patent tempest brewing just over the horizon, about to burst into public view? And will any other company names and logos be added to the PAX Community Web page? We’ll just have to stay tuned to find out. Details are here: http://www.consortiuminfo.org/...
On Monday, Google made a brief and not much noticed announcement of a new "PAX" patent cross licensing program intended to create a spreading umbrella of patent protection for Android and related apps. The question is why? The announcement and the related website are extremely brief, and although everyone is invited to get a copy of the cross license, Google reserves the right to decide first whether your motives are pure and you can keep a secret. And so far, the only members of the "PAX Community" listed so far are existing Google business partners.
Is Google aware of some new patent tempest brewing just over the horizon, about to burst into public view? And will any other company names and logos be added to the PAX Community Web page? We’ll just have to stay tuned to find out. Details are here: http://www.consortiuminfo.org/...
