E-learning firm grants irrevocable worldwide promise
By INQUIRER staff: Thursday 01 February 2007, 16:37
E-LEARNING firm Blackboard said it has pledged to never use its software patents against open source or hom grown course management systems.
That follows a bit of a ruckus the other week - after a request from the Software Freedom Law Center from the US Patent Office for a re-examination of a patent was granted.
Blackboard said its pledge is legally binding, irrevocable and worldwide in scope.
It has committed not to assert patent number 6,988,138 and other pending patents against the development, use or distribution of open source software as long as such systems aren't bundled with proprietary software.
Source: http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37374