As part of our commitment to truly free, collaborative open-source software (OSS), we are pleased to announce that we have joined the Open Invention Network (OIN). The OIN is a defensive patent pool and community of organizations that have come together to protect Linux and other related OSS programs from patent aggression. It was founded in 2005 and has since become a major player in the world of open-source software and intellectual property protection.
The primary goal of the Open Invention Network is to create a collaborative environment that fosters innovation in open-source software. It achieves this goal by acquiring patents and licensing them royalty-free to any member organization, if they agree not to assert their patents against the Linux system or its related open-source applications. In this way, the OIN aims to create a network of cross-licensing relationships to help shield developers, distributors, and users of open-source software from legal threats, along with encouraging broader adoption and use of open-source technologies, promoting innovation and collaboration within the software development community.