- October 17, 2018
- Posted by: Ross Alcorn
- Category: General
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Microsoft is shelving the threat of patent lawsuits against Linux developers by opening 60,000 company patents to the operating system’s development, the software giant said in a surprise announcement on Wednesday.
Microsoft is making peace with Linux developers by shelving a weapon it used to assault them with: the company’s massive patent portfolio.
On Wednesday, Microsoft effectively pledged 60,000 company patents to Linux’s open source development by joining the Open Invention Network (OIN), an industry trade group. Founded back in 2005, OIN’s mission has been to shield Linux developers from patent lawsuits – a legal tactic Microsoft has used time and time again to extract royalties from industry vendors.