Re: Open Invention Network

[Ben Finney <ben+debian@benfinney.id.au>]

Steve McIntyre <leader@debian.org> writes:

> I've been approached by the Open Invention Network[1]. They're
> asking if Debian would like to join as an organisation to "protect
> our work and support open access to intellectual property".

It would be best to clarify what they mean. As has been pointed out
many times, "intellectual property" is a nonsense term, with no clear
referent. Beginning a discussion that uses that term is just begging
for everyone involved to understand incompatible things from the same
terms.

So far, it seems their entire site could benefit from

    s/intellectual property/patent/

but you should confirm that with them, and request that if patents are
all they're actually talking about, to please use only that term to
refer to that area of law.

If they want a meaningful discussion, it's best to find out exactly
what things they're offering to "protect", before further discussion.

-- 
 \     “I know you believe you understood what you think I said, but I |
  `\         am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I |
_o__)                                     meant.” —Robert J. McCloskey |
Ben Finney