Amid the patent wars, a powerful pact of non-aggression
This was a very
interesting and refreshing article given our current times with these
"patent wars." This article discusses how IBM's Open Innovation
Network has helped soften this very combative patent landscape. OIN was
able to accomplish this by using Linux, which is another computer based
language that prides itself on others editing each other's work. The group was
founded in 2005 and has already passed 500 signatories. Given a lot
more companies have been using Linux (Google Android, most cloud-computing, and
websites like Facebook and Amazon), OIN has been extremely successful. It has
also been able to stop certain lawsuits specifically by collecting integral
patents. When Microsoft sued Salesforce.com OIN was able to lend Salesforce.com
two of its patent and the lawsuit was quickly solved outside of court.
I think ideas
like this are great, not only for IBM and OIN but for the entire tech
industries as a whole. Linux is a computer language based on free innovation
among all users. Given Android has roughly 42% of the market, a leader in the
mobile device field, this is clearly the successful way of innovating and doing
business. If more companies focus less on litigation and working together, then
everyone could benefit.
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