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If companies fear that if they try to enforce their patents they will lose access to significant commercial opportunities as a result of not being able to use p
by shadowmint 10y ago
If companies fear that if they try to enforce their patents they will lose access to significant commercial opportunities as a result of not being able to use projects such as react...
...basically, I welcome it.
Patents are harmful.
The FSF has, to my knowledge, made no meaningful progress in significant patent reform.
If this helps, then bring it on.
- gcp 10y agoFacebook's patent license doesn't grant you any patents outside the ones used by React. It does grant them freedom to use any patent you may have (if you use their software). See the problem? Even if you don't like patents, it makes the playing field totally uneven.
- matt4077 10y agoIt still lowers the value of IP patents, since that value has most often manifest itself in suing Facebook/Apple etc. With their value being even marginally reduced, maybe some patents will never be filed, or the value proposition of setting up patent-litigation entities is reduced enough to discourage it. Basically this is net-positive for anyone who doesn't own or plan to own patents, even if it is even better for Facebook.
- gcp 10y agoPatent litigation against such companies is often carried out by specialized entities, so those have nothing to lose by having their "React" patents revoked.
- brlewis 10y agoI would agree with you if it was only software patents. I still think hardware patents have a place, and that it is possible for the patent office to judge novelty and non-obviousness of hardware inventions.