Originally published November 27 2005
IBM allows access to software patents
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
IBM will now allow healthcare and education businesses to use its patented ideas and development methods for specific software. IBM wants to address the problem of incompatibility of sensitive data in the sectors.
For the second time this year, IBM will give free access to its software patents -- thousands of them.
Company officials plan to announce today that health-care and education businesses will be allowed to use IBM's patented ideas and methods on how to develop specific software.
The move shows that IBM is continuing to shift away from its traditional corporate business model of selling the rights to use its intellectual property, which generates $1 billion in annual revenue.
The effort is welcomed by people in the health-care and education sectors who have been saddled with high expenses, said Michael Goulde, senior analyst with Forrester Research.
"Many industries are transforming, using open software standards," Neil de Crescenzo, vice president of global health care for IBM Business Consulting Services, said in a statement.
"Our initiative can help do the same for the worldwide health-care industry."
They won't have to worry about being sued for infringing on several thousands of IBM's patents.
"They get more comfort and that stimulates them to create better products," Goulde said.
In January, IBM made 500 of its software patents available to anyone working on open-source projects, such as the Linux operating system, on which programmers collaborate and share code.
Last month, Computer Associates promised free access to software covered by 14 of it U.S. patents, including a way to automate network surveillance.
"It's a genuine trend," said Robin Bloor, a partner with Hurwitz & Associates, a Boston consulting firm.
Besides earning a reputation as a good corporate citizen, IBM will likely win more business, Goulde said.
"If a hospital knows that IBM is committed to open source, they might be more inclined to go to them when they need health-care computer systems."
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