[lug] Open Source Software Licenses & the University

[Scott Herod]

On 9 Dec 2002, Tom Tromey wrote:
>
> >>>>> "Daniel" == Daniel Webb <webb at danielwebb.us> writes:
>
> Daniel> The thing I never understood is why companies haven't figured
> Daniel> out how much money they would save if they just figure out a
> Daniel> way to work cooperatively on things like software.
>
> It seems to me that for companies to come together like this, there
> has to be some seed around which they can crystallize.  They don't
> just spontaneously form cooperative groups.
>
> Tom

Of course a problem is that most companies (esp. small tech companies)
need to justify their existance to their board and share-holders /
investors.  They do that by creating IP in the form of software whether
said software is particularly useful or not.  On the otherhand, companies
like IBM (which owns about half the currently viable patents in the US)
can afford to do cooperative development.  In that case it often becomes a
way to exercise their IP.  (Another example of this can be found in the
recent minutes of the OpenGL ARB.  Hint, search for the word Microsoft.)

Scott