Hi,
Following the lead, one would think, of IBM and Novell, Nokia has announced that Linux kernel development may use all its patents (http://press.nokia.com/PR/200505/995845_5.html and http://www.nokia.com/iprstatements).
According to http://swpat.ffii.org/gasnu/nokia/index.en.html, however, "Nokia seems absolutely pro-swpat."
There is a cross-licensing type clause in the Nokia's new patent policy saying that the protection only extends to those who don't assert their own patents against the kernel. They're also keen to get other players in the market to play fair too.
Nokia also announced in the last few days a new product whose OS is based on the Linux kernel, so it could be construed as a means not to be branded hypocritical.
I'm trying to make sense of this, because if they're serious in their statements that Free Software development needs to be protected from patents, then they could just support the EP's text of the directive from Sept. 2003 and all efforts to return the directive to that state.
Anyone with any insights?
Éibhear