IBM pledges free access to patents, support for open standards
ConvergenceAsia staff
19/07/2007

IBM has announced that it is granting universal and perpetual access to certain intellectual property that might be necessary in implementing more than 150 standards designed to make software interoperable.

The move, which IBM believes is the largest of its kind, is also designed to spur industry innovation, while discouraging litigation.

The software specifications and protocols involved in the pledge underpin industry standards, such as those reflected in Web Services: programming, transactions and data exchanged on the Internet and Web. These are typically under, or moving toward stewardship by standards groups such as the World Wide Web Consortium and OASIS.

Users will adopt new technologies if they know that they can find those technologies in a variety of interchangeable, compatible products from competing vendors, said Bob Sutor, IBM's Vice President of Open Source and Standards. "We think customers will like this added assurance for the open standards upon which they have come to depend."

IBM's commitment not only applies to the distributors, developers or manufacturers that are implementing the specifications involved, but also extends to their users or customers. It is valid as long as adopters are not suing any party over necessary patented technology needed to implement the standards.

Previously, all adopters of these specifications and protocols needed to secure royalty-free licensing terms from IBM. Previous pledges from IBM include commitments not to assert intellectual property rights for hundreds of patents involving the open source, healthcare and education communities.

Visit www-03.ibm.com/linux/opensource/ispinfo.shtml to see the list of specifications.

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