Nokia almost gets it
Nokia, one of the biggest software patents lobbyists in the EU, surprisingly shows some support for free software. According to the statement, “Nokia hereby commits not to assert any of its Patents (as defined herein below) against any Linux Kernel (as defined herein below) existing as of 25 May 2005.” This means any Nokia patents can be used in the kernel. This would be wonderful - if it was for real. The statement goes on:
The aforesaid non-assertion shall extend to any future Linux Kernel to the extent that Nokia does not declare any new functionality embodied in such Linux Kernel to be outside the scope of this Patent Statement. Nokia shall issue such declaration through its website no later than one hundred and twenty (120) days after the official release of such Linux Kernel. (Emphasis added.)
You’re allowed to use my patents - unless I tell you not to. A trap is also included: because you’re only allowed to use those patents in the official kernel, if such code is copied to any other software (say *BSD), the patent license doesn’t apply anymore.
In other news, Nokia announced a Linux-based device.
A nice gesture, anyhow.
Though RMS does not think so: http://trends.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=05/05/30/1155209&tid=147
Let’s hope that te French and Dutch No’s to the constitution help democracy in the case of software patents.