"John" == John Levine <johnl(_at_)iecc(_dot_)com> writes:
John> A recent article in eWeek makes it crystal clear that the
John> crucial issue in the Microsoft patent license is
John> sublicensing, and that the MS lawyers can't (or at least
John> won't) change the terms.
I think allowing sublicensing of the patent grant would significantly
weaken the effectiveness of the reciprocal patent grant as a defensive
measure. It seems fairly obvious to me that the license is drafted in
such a way as to give maximum protection to the community as a whole
against patent claims on Sender ID.
Would it be possible for Microsoft to give some legally binding
guarantee that the Sender ID license will _always_ be available under
the current terms? Would that meet your concerns?
Would Microsoft be willing to take such a step?
-roy