Ruling Against Google Could Affect Open Source Use

A new ruling from Texas against Google found patent infringement in some of its use of open-source Linux code, a decision that could affect the use of Linux and other open source systems that build upon it, according to a news source.

CNET News reported that Google was asked to pay $5 million for the infringement, a relatively small amount for the internet search and video giant. But a Google spokesperson remarked that the company would “continue to defend against attacks like this one on the open-source community,” and that “the recent explosion in patent litigation is turning the world’s information highway into a toll road, forcing companies to spend millions and millions of dollars defending old, questionable patent claims, and wasting resources that would be much better spent investing in new technologies for users and creating jobs.”

The suit was filed in June 2009 by Bedrock Computer Technologies, a firm that has been seen as a patent troll, one that does not produce products but rather acquires patents in order to sue other companies for profit.

Mobile technology Android also uses a Linux-based operating system. Google, Linux software maker Red Hat and others named in the suit tried to have the patent declared invalid, CNET said.

Verdict is posted here.