AWS is committed to protecting and promoting open source
The news was released that Amazon has become a member of the Open Invention Network (OIN), an organization dedicated to protecting the Linux ecosystem from patent claims.
The members of the OIN agree not to make patent claims and freely allow the use of proprietary technologies in projects related to the Linux ecosystem. OIN members include more than 3500 companies, communities, and organizations that have signed a patent-sharing license agreement.
Among the main OIN participants ensuring the formation of a patent pool that protects Linux are companies such as Google, IBM, NEC, Toyota, Renault, SUSE, Philips, Red Hat, Alibaba, HP, AT&T, Juniper, Facebook, Cisco , Casio, Huawei, Fujitsu, Sony and Microsoft.
The companies that sign the agreement gain access to patents held by OIN in exchange for a promise not to sue by use of technologies used in the Linux ecosystem. In particular, as part of joining OIN, Microsoft transferred the right to use more than 60 of its patents to OIN participants, pledging not to use them against Linux and open source software.
Amazon, one of the heavyweights joins the OIN
By joining the OIN, the company has demonstrated its commitment to co-innovation and non-aggressive removal of patents. Amazon believes that Linux and open source are a key driver of innovation for the company.
It is noted that the purpose of Amazon joining OIN is to strengthen open source communities and help ensure that technologies like Linux continue to be developed and remain available to all.
“Linux and other open source projects have become the foundation for innovations happening across a spectrum of industries including retail and e-commerce, cloud computing and entertainment,” said Keith Bergelt, CEO of the Open Invention Network. "We are pleased that Amazon is committing to patenting non-aggression in the Linux kernel and adjacent open source technologies."
“At Amazon, we are constantly looking for ways to innovate on behalf of our customers by investing in systems and technologies that allow us to better serve and understand them,” said Nithya Ruff, director of the Amazon Open Source Program Office at Amazon. “Linux and open source are essential to many of our customers and a key driver of innovation at Amazon. We are proud to support a wide range of open source projects, foundations, and partners, and are committed to the long-term success and sustainability of open source as a whole. By joining OIN, we continue to strengthen open source communities and help ensure that technologies like Linux continue to thrive and be accessible to all."
It should be noted that the OIN member agreement applies only to components of distributions that fall within the definition of a Linux system ("Linux System"). In addition to the obligations of no aggression, for additional protection, the OIN has formed a group of patents, including patents purchased or donated by participants Linux related.
OIN's Patent Group includes more than 1300 patents. In OIN's hands is a group of patents, featuring some of the earliest mention of technologies for creating dynamic web content, which anticipated the rise of systems like Microsoft's ASP, Sun/Oracle's JSP, and PHP.
Another important contribution is the acquisition in 2009 of 22 Microsoft patents that had previously been sold to the AST consortium as patents covering "open source" products.
All OIN members have the opportunity to use these patents free of charge. The effectiveness of the OIN agreement was confirmed by the decision of the US Department of Justice, which required that OIN's interests be taken into account in the terms of the agreement to sell Novell's patents.
Finally, if you are interested in knowing more about it, you can check the details In the following link.
You can also check the statement issued by Amazon.