IBM Files New Claims Against SCO in Linux Case

[Floid]

Insightful comments from Slashdot's 20-years-of-GNU thread, covering all sides of the issue:

http://developers.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=80088&cid=7070473

http://developers.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=80088&cid=7070501

http://developers.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=80088&cid=7070414

The GPL, used wisely, does throw a lot of leverage back to hardware companies.  At the same time, it lowers the bar for other hardware companies to enter the market; heck, both Eyetech and Genesi are benefiting from Linux on their platforms.  

As to patents in the specific case, IBM can wield theirs against other implementors, but trying to lever one for profit against users of their GPL-released code would be as uphill a battle as SCO's.  

Of course, broad software patents are indeed a stifling idea in the 'general' world, and more benefiting to incumbents with large pockets and portfolios for cross-licensing deals than the GPL could ever be.  Nothing says copyleftware has to require more constant rewriting than a commercial package (AmigaOS?); it's just that open/Free developers have tended to be lazy with their planning.*

Patents offer no guarantee that the holders will license them on any terms.

---

*Some might say 'pragmatic.'  But then who says you can't approach modular robustness pragmatically?