[eside-ghost] IBM gives patent access

[JosuKa Diaz Labrador]

Hola a todos, espero que las Navidades hayan sido buenas. A partir de 
las news del google:

http://business.bostonherald.com/technologyNews/view.bg?articleid=63073

La noticia es buena, creo yo, pero es casi más impresionante como 
hila argumentos (o sea, desinforma) el imperio (mis comentarios entre 
corchetes al final):

<quote>
IBM gives patent access: Other motives seen in open-source boost [1]
By Jay Fitzgerald
Wednesday, January 12, 2005

     IBM Corp. is chipping in to help the open-source software 
movement that likes nothing more than tweaking the nose of such 
companies as Microsoft Corp. [2]

     IBM announced yesterday that it's donating 500 technology 
patents to open-source groups developing free software for the masses 
and businesses wanting alternatives to such programs as Microsoft's 
Windows.

     ``This will help kick-start the whole open-source community,'' 
said Bob Sutor, vice president of standards for IBM.

     Sutor characterized IBM's move - the first time it has released 
patent rights to anyone and everyone developing open-market programs -
 as merely an acknowledgment that the software market is headed in 
the open-source direction.

     ``We get to use the great innovations'' developed by a multitude 
of groups developing free software, Sutor said.

     Jeff Bates, vice president of editorial operations for the Open 
Source Technology Group, said the patents will be useful for 
developers toiling away at creating programs to be distributed free.

     But Bates, whose company oversees a number of open-source Web 
sites,said IBM's donation is also a ``very canny move'' that helps it 
``curry favor'' with open-source proponents and the European Union, 
which is thinking of cracking down on the issuance of many software 
patents.

     Jonathan Zuk, president of the Association for Competitive 
Technology, said IBM's ``motives aren't hard to figure out,'' 
considering its past support for the Linux operating system, which 
IBM makes applications for and sells. [3]

     Sutor said IBM's patent giveaway is not aimed at currying favor 
with anyone.

     IBM is the nation's top patent receiver, nabbing more than 3,000 
technology patents last year, the company said yesterday.

     Boston will play host to a LinuxWorld Expo next month that will 
attract open-source groupies from around the world.
</quote>

Comentarios:

[1] No se habla en todo el artículo de esos "otros motivos" que 
"están detrás" de la "maniobra", de hecho, alguien que parece 
independiente (el tal Zuk) dice que precisamente los motivos están 
bastante claros [3], aunque tampoco se dice cuáles son. Pero el 
titular ahí queda.

[2] Solo esta frase ya me parece flipante: todo el movimiento de 
código abierto no es más que una cruzada contra Hasecorp. Bien.

Teniendo en cuenta que el título y el primer párrafo son los 
candidatos mínimos a resumen de artículo (es lo que se ve en google-
news, por ejemplo), el daño es inmenso.

Veamos esta otra visión:

http://comment.zdnet.co.uk/0,39020505,39183604,00.htm

<quote>
IBM's open patents are just the first step
Leader
January 11, 2005, 13:20 GMT
	
IBM's patent move proves open source's capitalist credentials. Gates' 
denial of this will hurt Microsoft more than most.

IBM's decision to make five hundred patents available for open source 
use is a welcome start to 2005. Despite Bill Gates' recent comparison 
of open source reformers with communists, the most compelling 
analysis of IBM's move is that it is entirely in the company's 
capitalistic interests so to do. It has decided that open source 
creates an environment in which it can be competitive: patents 
threaten open source. By making a public, irrevocable and unambiguous 
commitment to use its patents in a way that encourages open source 
development, IBM expects to reap concrete commercial advantages. This 
is not a philosophical or moral decision.

Although IBM's move is welcome, it's not as immediately helpful as it 
might seem. The standard advice for programmers and designers trying 
to avoid patent conflicts in new software is "don't" - because patent 
law and practice is a minefield for the non-lawyer, a Humpty Dumpty 
world where trying hard with the best will in the world can cost you 
far more than not trying at all. Designing software that uses 
techniques from IBM's list will remove some risk, but unless lots of 
other companies join in there is still substantial danger in open 
innovation. That's one of the joys of software patents -- each design 
decision in a single piece of code can potentially infringe.

IBM needs to go further. As a member of EICTA, it remains publicly 
committed to a strong software patent regime in Europe: a strange 
position for a company simultaneously trying to negate the dangers of 
the American system. At the least, it needs to make its European 
position consistent with today's action -- and the time to do so is 
now, as momentum builds within the European Union for a complete 
rethink on the issue.

The best effect that IBM's decision could have is on other 
proprietary software companies. If IBM, which makes more than $1bn a 
year from IP licensing, is prepared to make that big a bet on open 
systems, how much could the others lose from sticking to the old 
ways? Gates should reconsider: any world view which sees IBM as a 
communist organisation is dangerously skewed and needs a reality 
adjustment. The world won't wait for Microsoft to catch up.
</quote>

No sé, a mí me parece un análisis más razonado ¿no?

De todas maneras, que nadie se llame a engaño. He leido en otro 
sitio:

http://news.com.com/IBM+retains+top+spot+on+patent+list/2100-7337_3-5532427.html

que IBM sigue liderando por duodécimo año consecutivo el nº de 
patentes aceptadas en el año.

Saludos
--JosuKa
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JosuKa Díaz Labrador       http://paginaspersonales.deusto.es/josuka/
ESIDE-Universidad de Deusto    josuka en eside.deusto.es  josuka en acm.org
Apartado 1, 48080 BILBAO (SPAIN) Tel 34.94.4139000  Fax 34.94.4139101