Sony, IBM, and Philips Create a Linux Alliance

[barnak]

Sony, IBM, and Philips Create a Linux Alliance
With the creation of the 'Open Invention Network,' the founders hope to speed the adoption of Linux and more readily threaten Microsoft's iron grip on the OS space.



Today brought with it the announcement of a new corporate entity founded by IBM, Philips, and Sony to protect and speed the adoption of Linux through the buy-up and royalty-free licensing of a number of software patents. Dubbed OIN, for Open Invention Network, the entity already enjoys the cooperation and membership of premier Linux distributors Novell and Red Hat.

The ultimate goal of the OIN initiative is to locate and purchase any number of software patents that may be seen as a potential source for a lawsuit down the line against any profitable distributors and users of the Linux operatng system. As an example, SCO has been engaged for several years in a lawsuit claiming just such infringement on the part of IBM, and this very lawsuit could probably be seen as one of the key catalysts for forming such an initiative as the Open Invention Network.

Microsoft presently uses this very line of reasoning attempting to dissuade corporate customers from going to the open-source movement, pushing the notion that such operating systems such as Linux might open up their users to potential legal troubles.

In a sense, by 'securing' Linux legally as a viable and risk-free OS for customers to use, the thinking is that adoption will be greatly facilitated throughout the corporate space. Retired IBM VP of IP Jerry Rosenthal has assumed the CEO role at the Open Invention Network and has claimed that the well-funded group already has all that it needs in order to go forth and accomplish it's mission.

Sony's role in the alliance certainly stands out, implying a strategic push at the company to spread the adoption of Linux, and perhaps in tandem, adoption of it's new Cell architecture.

link http://psinext.e-mpire.com/index.ph...57&PHPSESSID=a8f5cdab6d47d54a9502d941488490a6

 

[BlueTsunami]

Hell Yeah!

Today brought with it the announcement of a new corporate entity founded by IBM, Philips, and Sony to protect and speed the adoption of Linux through the buy-up and royalty-free licensing of a number of software patents. Dubbed OIN, for Open Invention Network, the entity already enjoys the cooperation and membership of premier Linux distributors Novell and Red Hat.

That rocks, Its cool to see a joint cooperation like this. I also didn't expect the plan to make sure the user is protected by making sure that software that is readily available to them is legal.

 

[ERP]

We use Linux servers here for a number of things, but in general only where the solution offers significant advantages over the MS equivalent.

We pretty much have to use comercial distributions for anything we use because we need the support and that in general means that the MS solutions are actually cheaper.

 

[Nicked]

Wrong forum?

Also, this is awesome. And it shows a great commitment to open-source software by those companies.

 

[mckmas8808]

Wrong forum?

Also, this is awesome. And it shows a great commitment to open-source software by those companies.

Not really. Sony is trying to push it with their CELL processor and PS3.

 

[Inane_Dork]

And it shows a great commitment to open-source software by those companies.

True, but that isn't as deep as it could be. I think it's more accurate to say that this shows a great commitment to Microsoft alternatives by those companies. IBM has long been pouring money into Linux. Now Sony, apparently, is doing so as well. I would be interested in knowing what Linux would actually do on its own two feet.

It's good that there's an alternative to Windows. I just wonder how far they're trying to push it.

 

[Guden Oden]

Not really. Sony is trying to push it with their CELL processor and PS3.

Clearly, none of the corporations involved are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. They see business opportunities arising out of this, either directly in the form of new business opportunities, or indirectly in the form of goodwill from the public, or having to waste money on fewer frivolous software patent-related lawsuits at some point in the future. Singling out sony in particular when IBM is far more involved in linux seems more than a little unfair. Dunno what role philips have in this tho, to me they're just a company making slightly dodgy consumer electronics.

 

[Carl B]

Well I think Sony stands out in that sense precisely because it's traditionally IBM's 'area of operations.' Philips on the other hand also stands out, but it's hard to divine a reason for their involvement. Is there some sort of strong internal push at Philips for Linux of which I am not aware?

EDIT: Actually nevermind, after doing some research Philips seems more heavily involved with Linux than previously thought.

 

[hadareud]

Clearly, none of the corporations involved are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. They see business opportunities arising out of this, either directly in the form of new business opportunities, or indirectly in the form of goodwill from the public, or having to waste money on fewer frivolous software patent-related lawsuits at some point in the future. Singling out sony in particular when IBM is far more involved in linux seems more than a little unfair

Exactly, couldn't have said it better (except for the Philips part, and I only can't agree because my girlfriend is dutch )

 

[fearsomepirate]

Not really. Sony is trying to push it with their CELL processor and PS3.

Man, I can't believe a giant corporation would support something because they wanted to make money, and not just out of the sheer goodness of their hearts and moral commitment to open-source software!

 

[Powderkeg]

It's good that there's an alternative to Windows. I just wonder how far they're trying to push it.

There was already an alternative to Microsoft, but they aren't using IBM chips anymore.

 

[Powderkeg]

Clearly, none of the corporations involved are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. They see business opportunities arising out of this, either directly in the form of new business opportunities, or indirectly in the form of goodwill from the public, or having to waste money on fewer frivolous software patent-related lawsuits at some point in the future. Singling out sony in particular when IBM is far more involved in linux seems more than a little unfair. Dunno what role philips have in this tho, to me they're just a company making slightly dodgy consumer electronics.

They see their best customer who specialized in OS's for their processors decide that they are moving to Intel.

This is an attempt to recover the loss of Apple. They were expecting Apple to jump on board and instead Apple jumped ship. These companies are trying to fill the sales void that Apple left, nothing more.

 

[Carl B]

You're thinking personal computing - this push targets the corporate space. IBM is a *huge* player in corporate Linux. Sony and Philips obviously have their own motivations, but for Sony increased corporate adoption means increased liklihood for Cell to succeed in the corporate/workstation/server space as well, since it's basically a 'Linux-only' chip for now.

 

[Powderkeg]

You're thinking personal computing.

No, you are just thinking too small.

Server/business workstation/desktop/laptop is what they want. The full spectrum.

 

[Carl B]

No, you are just thinking too small.

Server/business workstation/desktop/laptop is what they want. The full spectrum.

It's what they might want, but the initiative focuses on the corporate space primarily, and if all it did was help in that space, I think they would consider the initiative to be quite the success. I'm just saying, Apple doesn't really fit into this in my mind. If Apple were still with IBM, this would still be happening.

 

[Powderkeg]

It's what they might want, but the initiative focuses on the corporate space primarily, and if all it did was help in that space, I think they would consider the initiative to be quite the success. I'm just saying, Apple doesn't really fit into this in my mind. If Apple were still with IBM, this would still be happening.

If Apple were still with IBM then IBM might not be so motivated to go looking for a potential workstation/laptop provider like Sony.

IBM themselves have the servers already, but to really push the whole initiative you've got to get the businesses to move their workstations to Linux as well. Getting Linux laptops in their hands is icing on the cake.

Once you've got decent market penetration there, the employees of those companies will be familiar and comfortable with Linux, and thus more likely to switch their home machine over as well.

Long term planning. Big scale. You aren't going to take on MS if the best you can do is sell servers.

 

[Carl B]

I think you're too focused on the hardware here. The initiative is simply to secure Linux from possible legal liabilities and to sooth the concerns of corporate customers who might otherwise fear an SCO situation. Apple having stayed with IBM wouldn't change this equation one bit. It's a very passive form of Linux promotion; the OIN simply buys up patents and effectively neutralizes them. I agree workstation adoption is all good and great and who wouldn't want it, but more than all of that this just helps for everyone to remove some of the uncertainty about whether or not Linux is truly 'safe' to use from a legal perspective.

I think it's a good move.

 

[Inane_Dork]

There was already an alternative to Microsoft, but they aren't using IBM chips anymore.

Linux can be molded to their desires. Apple cannot. Apple will always be Apple, and they would no more work with MS's competitors than work with MS.

 

[Guden Oden]

This is an attempt to recover the loss of Apple. They were expecting Apple to jump on board and instead Apple jumped ship. These companies are trying to fill the sales void that Apple left, nothing more.

Void, what void?

If anything, your explanation would only apply to IBM (as sony/philips had no CPU chip business with apple at all), and wasn't apple responsible for an awesome 2% or somesuch of IBM's chip turnover? What a huge loss that must have been, bet IBM is quaking in their boots.

I'd think it's much more likely that apple was their usual impossible customer self, trying to dictate terms to IBM like they did with motorola and then leaving in a huff when they didn't get exactly their way, same as with moto. I don't think your theory carries all that much weight, frankly.

 

[fearsomepirate]

I think a Cell-based workstation running Linux would be insanely awesome for CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) if they bundled some good compilers with it that would make use of the SPE's for you.