Open Invention Network (OIN) has expanded and updated the Linux System technologies covered by its protective network of royalty-free cross-licenses among hundreds of OIN licensees. More than 700 new software packages - including popular packages such as KVM, Git, OpenJDK, and WebKit - will now receive coverage. In addition, coverage for over 1,000 existing software packages has been updated.
Open Invention Network, launched in 2005 by IBM, NEC, Novell, Philips, Red Hat, and Sony, is a collaborative enterprise that enables innovation in open source and the ecosystem around Linux by acquiring and licensing patents royalty-free, influencing behaviors and policy and protecting the integrity of the ecosystem through strategic programs such as Linux Defenders. The expansion of the coverage will have the positive effect of broadening the scope of coverage of the patent cross-licenses and releases from claims of patent infringement between and among the OIN community members, according to OIN. The improved coverage of the OIN license is also expected to help to encourage ongoing collaboration and investment from Linux developers, distributors, sellers, resellers and end users.
"This expansion in the coverage of the OIN license furthers OIN's mission to enable and protect Linux," said Keith Bergelt, CEO of Open Invention Network, who noted that the update is driven by the dynamic growth of open source software. "We are pleased to offer enhanced value to OIN's licensees, which we believe will be beneficial to the open source community as a whole." For more information, go to the OIN website.