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Re: [Bodington-developers] [Tetraelf-developers] Fwd: Blackboard Patent Pledge
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From: John N. <jo...@ca...> - 2007-02-01 17:24:28
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Didn't you get the Bb press release last week? Bodington is to acquire Bb and Alistair Young will be the new CEO :-P John On 1 Feb 2007, at 13:57, Alistair Young wrote: > why he sent to me is a mystery! > > -------------- > mov eax,1 > mov ebx,0 > int 80h > > > > > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: "Michael Chasen" <bbf...@bl...> >> Date: 1 February 2007 14:01:05 GMT >> To: <ali...@sm...> >> Subject: Blackboard Patent Pledge >> Reply-To: Blackboard <reply-=20 >> EfXurQPQrTQ=3D-...@bl...> >> >> >> The Blackboard Patent Pledge >> >> >> >> February 1, 2007 >> >> Dear Blackboard Community, >> I am writing to share some exciting news about a patent pledge =20 >> Blackboard is making today to the open source and home-grown =20 >> course management community. We are announcing a legally-binding, =20= >> irrevocable, world-wide pledge not to assert any of our issued or =20 >> pending patents related to course management systems or =20 >> transaction systems against the use, development or support of any =20= >> open source or home-grown course management systems. >> >> We developed this pledge over several months with the help and =20 >> dedication of various members of the e-Learning community, such as =20= >> EDUCAUSE, Sakai and many Blackboard clients. We are very grateful =20 >> for their time and counsel. Without such a thoughtful and =20 >> collaborative process, this sort of unprecedented pledge for a =20 >> company of our size might not have been possible. >> >> =93We particularly welcome the inclusion of pending patents, the =20 >> clarification on the commercial support, customization, hosting or =20= >> maintenance of open source systems and the worldwide nature of =20 >> Blackboard=92s pledge. We also appreciate the willingness of =20 >> Blackboard to continue with frank and direct dialogue with our two =20= >> organizations and with other higher education representatives and =20 >> groups to work toward addressing these problems of community =20 >> concern.=94 >> -Joint Statement of EDUCAUSE and Sakai Boards of Directors >> >> =93We wish to acknowledge the company=92s actions and express our =20 >> appreciation to Blackboard in committing to continue to foster =20 >> creativity and collaboration within the e-Learning community. =20 >> Such a response can only benefit the teachers and practitioners, =20 >> the learners, Blackboard, and indeed the wider e-Learning community.=94= >> -Australasian Council on Open, Distance and E-Learning (ACODE) >> >> As a longstanding and leading member of the e-Learning community, =20 >> we understand that Blackboard plays an important role in promoting =20= >> the open exchange of ideas, collaboration and innovation. This =20 >> pledge symbolizes our continued commitment to that role by =20 >> agreeing not to assert U.S. Patent No. 6,988,138 and many other =20 >> pending patent applications as well as their international =20 >> counterparts against the development, use or distribution of open =20 >> source software or home-grown course management systems anywhere =20 >> in the world, to the extent that such systems are not bundled with =20= >> proprietary software. This pledge also extends to the commercial =20 >> support, hosting, customization and maintenance of such applications. >> >> So those using home-grown or open source systems, professors and =20 >> teachers contributing to open source projects, open source =20 >> initiatives, commercially developed open source add-on =20 >> applications to proprietary products and vendors hosting and =20 >> supporting open source applications all are covered by this =20 >> pledge. In addition, we have extended the pledge to many =20 >> specifically named open source initiatives within the course and =20 >> learning management system space whether or not they may include =20 >> proprietary elements within their applications, including Sakai, =20 >> Moodle, ATutor, Bodington and Elgg. >> >> We are very pleased to take this formal step which is part of a =20 >> larger effort on our part to engage more deeply with the e-=20 >> Learning community and help foster greater openness and =20 >> interoperability. We believe the pledge and the collaboration =20 >> that brought it about will support and promote new innovation and =20 >> the free flow of ideas across the global e-Learning community. >> >> The text of the Pledge which incorporates by reference a list of =20 >> frequently asked questions, as well as the announcement press =20 >> release may be found on our website at www.blackboard.com/patent. =20= >> If you have any questions about the Pledge, please contact =20 >> Blackboard's Chief Legal Officer, Matthew Small, at =20 >> ms...@bl.... >> >> Thank you again for your continued partnership. >> >> Sincerely, >> >> >> >> Michael Chasen >> President and CEO >> Blackboard Inc. >> >> >> >> This email was sent to: ali...@sm... >> >> This email was sent by: Blackboard Inc. >> 1899 L Street NW, 11th Floor Washington, DC, 20036 USA >> >> Go here to change your email subscriptions. Go here to unsubscribe =20= >> from all communications. >> We respect your right to privacy. View our policy. >> If you have difficulty viewing this email, go here. > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------=20= > --- > Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, =20 > security? > Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your =20 > job easier. > Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache =20 > Geronimo > http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?=20 > cmd=3Dlnk&kid=3D120709&bid=3D263057&dat=3D121642________________________= ______=20 > _________________ > Tetraelf-developers mailing list > Tet...@li... > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/tetraelf-developers |
