Re: [ros-general] Microsoft wants royalties for use of FAT

[Mark IJbema]

On Fri, Dec 05, 2003 at 08:57:07AM -0600, Rick Parrish wrote:
>   I'd like to follow Andrew's "crazy
> ideas" with one of my own.
>  
>  How about structuring a defensive IP policy?
>  
>  I'll use a file system as my example but this applies to just about 
>  anything unique or novel in the React OS implementation. Suppose someone 
>  comes up with a new improved file system design ... makes it available 
>  under GPL like terms but also backs it up with a patent. Suppose that 
>  this new file system becomes very popular. Users, over concerns of their 
>  data being held captive by a proprietary media format, switch to this 
>  new FS. Microsoft, following a long history of embrace and extend (the 
>  kiss of death), decides to incorporate this FS as an "innovative 
>  feature" in a future
>  OS release. However, the patent-backed licensing terms include a 
>  "gotcha" clause that requires any commercial entity to share patent 
>  portfolios (sounds fair doesn't it?) ... 
Sounds fair, but is not compatible with the GPL afaik. Which doesn't
have to be a problem, i don't see why we need to use the GPL for
everything anyway (for example, i wouldn't care less if we includeded a
notepad which was released under the BSD licence).

Mark