283 patents potentially infringed by Linux

[Nomad559]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/03/1091476456669.html

-Snip-

The first independent evaluation of potential patent infringement by the Linux kernel claims that 283 software patents not yet reviewed by the courts could potentially be used to support claims of infringement.

The evaluation has been carried out by Dan Ravicher of the Public Patent Foundation for Open Source Risk Management, a group formed last year to "support the continued strength and growth of Free and Open Source Software through a comprehensive offering of sophisticated risk management products and services."

"While patents certainly do not spell doom for royalty-free distribution of Linux; there is a level of patent infringement risk that Linux users and developers should be mindful of and prepared to address," OSRM founder Daniel Egger wrote in a position paper put out in the US on Monday.

The study also found that not a single software patent fully reviewed and validated by the courts was infringed by the Linux kernel.