The GNOME Foundation was hit by a patent troll 1 and decided to fight back in court. Not only to defend itself, but to defend free software communities againts the abuses of the patent system. April supports the Foundation's action and calls on its supporters to make a donation to the GNOME patent troll defense fund.
GNOME [5] is an easy to use, friendly, working environment who's objective is to make accessible free operating systems. As it states in its press release [6], the GNOME Foundation is targeted by a patent troll, Rothschild Patent Imaging (RPI), claiming that it infringes a patent on an image distribution method [7] (the claim is about Shotwell, GNOME's image and photo management application). The Foundation decided to fight back and to go to court "to send a message to all software patent trolls out there".
April has always fought software patents [8] and the threats they pose, espacially towards free software. April fully support's the Foundation's action and will contribute to the defense fund and urges all its supporters to do the same.
Contribute to the defense fund [9]
- 1. Patent trolls [10] is a categorical or pejorative term applied to a person or company whose sole business model is through licencing and litigation over patents.