IBM’s motives questioned
From InformationWeek:
IBM’s overall patent policy is underpinned by an effort to keep software and computer patents in force; the European Community has been debating the issue of software patents in recent months, and momentum has been growing to eliminate patents for software there–a move that would be detrimental for IBM and also for its arch-competitor, Microsoft.
“I think IBM is trying to kill two birds with one stone,” said Florian Mueller, campaign manager of NoSoftwarePatents.com, a Munich-based association. “IBM wants to appease the open-source people in the U.S. and simultaneously influence the political debate over patents in Europe.”