Technology

Linux Foundation and CNCF Expand Partnership with Unified Patents to Defend Open Source Software from Non-Practicing Entities

Published

4 months ago

September 16, 2024

Members of the Linux Foundation and CNCF gain access to enhanced patent defense mechanisms to address emerging threats.

VIENNA, Sept. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Linux Foundation, in collaboration with the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), is excited to announce the expansion of its partnership with Unified Patents to defend open source software against non-practicing entities (NPEs). This enhanced partnership brings new advantages directly to Linux Foundation and CNCF members, to help defend the open source ecosystem against the growing threat of frivolous patent assertions targeting open source and cloud native technologies.

The Linux Foundation has long been a steadfast advocate for the open source community, promoting innovation, collaboration, and the protection of open source software from NPEs, commonly referred to as ‘patent trolls’. As the risk and volume of frivolous litigation against open source projects grows, the need to provide accessible protection from NPEs has become crucial. This expanded partnership with Unified Patents, a recognized leader in the fight against NPEs, underscores the Linux Foundation and CNCF’s commitment to safeguarding open source projects and their users, who are increasingly the targets of patent trolls.

This initiative builds on the success of previous collaborations with Unified Patents, which have played pivotal roles in defending critical open source projects from unjust patent litigation. In 2019, the Linux Foundation and Unified Patents partnered to create an Open Source Zone to defend projects from NPEs. Through this latest partnership, members of the Linux Foundation and CNCF–over 1300 companies–will gain access to a suite of advantages based on their membership level to assist in proactive NPE defense, including:

Annual NPE risk analysisPatent portfolio analysisAccess to Unified’s PATROLL prior art bounty programRegular updates on NPE activitiesAccess to specialized eventsOption to sponsor specific PATROLL crowdsourcing prior art contests and participate in any royalty-free licenses granted in resulting settlements.

“We are thrilled to deepen our collaboration with Unified Patents,” said Mike Dolan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Projects and Legal at the Linux Foundation. “This partnership not only strengthens our collective defense strategy, but also provides our members with critical resources to navigate and counter the complex NPE landscape.”

“The expansion of our partnership with the Linux Foundation and CNCF is a significant step forward in the ongoing battle against patent trolls,” said Shawn Ambwani, Chief Operating Officer at Unified Patents. “By combining our expertise and resources, we are better equipped to protect the open source community from those who seek to exploit the system for profit without contributing to innovation.”

The Linux Foundation, CNCF, and Unified Patents encourage the open source community to take full advantage of the new advantages offered through this partnership. Similar to any other technology wave, companies adopting cloud native technologies must prepare for patent assertions by NPEs and actively engage with the resources available to protect their investments.

More information is available at www.linuxfoundation.org/about/members/npe-deterrence and www.cncf.io/npe-deterrence-benefits

Supporting Quotes

Linux Foundation

“Our expanded partnership with Unified Patents is valuable to the Linux Foundation and CNCF members, and an exciting development for keeping non-practicing entities at bay. By furthering the availability of resources to mitigate costly litigation from non-practicing entities, we can more effectively protect the open source ecosystem and ensure that innovation continues unencumbered.” — James Zemlin, Executive Director, The Linux Foundation

Unified Patents

“We are honored to be working with the Linux community and CNCF to deter patent trolls / NPEs and improve patent quality,” said Shawn Ambwani, co-Founder and COO, Unified Patents. “The hundreds of continuing assertions in this space hinder innovation and growth. Providing support to open source projects, one of the fastest growing economic engines in the knowledge economy stops investment in asserting bad patents which should have never been issued.”

CNCF

“As cloud native technologies continue to advance, it becomes even more important to guard against patent trolls that do nothing but hinder the open source ecosystem that drives untold innovation, efficiency, and productivity,” said Priyanka Sharma, executive director of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. “These advantages will better defend our community and members as well as ensure continued progress for our ecosystem and the cloud native industry at-large..”

“Unified Patents is the ideal partner in this endeavor due their uniquely community-oriented approach to deterring patent aggression, which includes crowdsourced prior art searches and other tools and strategies designed to protect the broader ecosystem,” said Joanna Lee, VP of Strategic Programs & Legal at the Linux Foundation and CNCF. “When it comes to NPEs, a united and coordinated deterrence strategy is far more effective than isolated action. When organizations join forces to safeguard open source innovation through Unified programs, our ecosystem can achieve far more with fewer resources than when individual companies act in isolation to defend themselves against NPE aggression.”

Open Invention Network

“Open Invention Network, Microsoft and the Linux Foundation co-founded the Unified Patents’ Open Source Zone five years ago. Our goal from the beginning has been to hinder NPE patent attacks on open source software,” said Keith Bergelt, CEO of Open Invention Network. “We applaud the Linux Foundation and CNFC working to support additional initiatives that will hamper NPE activities, including this most recent partnership to address the threat of NPEs targeting open source cloud development and use.”

About the Linux Foundation
The Linux Foundation is the world’s leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world’s infrastructure, including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, OpenChain, OpenSSF, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, Zephyr, and more. The Linux Foundation focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact
Federica Nocerino
The Linux Foundation
fnocerino@linuxfoundation.org

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SOURCE The Linux Foundation

Technology

KNEX Technology CTO Gustavo Gonzalez Elected 2025 President-Elect of OATUG

Published

2 hours ago

January 11, 2025

Gustavo Gonzalez, KNEX Technology’s CTO, has been elected 2025 President-Elect of OATUG, emphasizing his dedication to Oracle innovation, collaboration, and leadership, including Ascend 2025’s strategic initiatives.

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — KNEX Technology, a leading Oracle Cloud solutions provider, is proud to announce that its Chief Technology Officer, Gustavo Gonzalez, has been elected as the 2025 President-Elect of the Oracle Applications & Technology Users Group (OATUG). This esteemed appointment highlights Gonzalez’s longstanding commitment to advancing innovation and collaboration within the Oracle community.

OATUG has played a pivotal role in my professional growth, and it is a privilege to contribute to this community which has enriched my career. As President-Elect, I look forward to collaborating with my peers to strengthen the Oracle user community and further its impact on businesses worldwide.

In his new role, Gonzalez will work closely with the OATUG leadership team throughout 2025, preparing to serve as OATUG President in 2026. He will focus on empowering Oracle professionals worldwide by fostering knowledge-sharing, community engagement, and professional development. OATUG, a globally recognized organization, supports its members in overcoming challenges, enhancing the value of Oracle solutions, and driving organizational success.

“OATUG has played a pivotal role in my professional growth, and it is a privilege to contribute to this community which has enriched my career,” said Gustavo Gonzalez. “As President-Elect, I look forward to collaborating with my peers to strengthen the Oracle user community and further its impact on businesses worldwide.”

Gonzalez’s election underscores his dedication to giving back to the Oracle ecosystem. A key focus of his role will include shaping OATUG’s strategic initiatives, such as the annual Ascend Conference, which unites Oracle users, thought leaders, and technology innovators for unparalleled learning and networking opportunities.

The upcoming Ascend 2025 Conference, scheduled for June 8–11 in Orlando, Florida, promises to build on the success of the 2024 event, which attracted more than 1,800 attendees. With early bird registration now open, Gonzalez aims to ensure the conference continues to deliver transformative insights and experiences for the Oracle community.

About OATUG

The Oracle Applications & Technology Users Group (OATUG) is the premier global organization for Oracle users, providing year-round education, networking, and advocacy. OATUG empowers its members to unlock the full potential of Oracle solutions, fostering innovation and collaboration across industries.

About KNEX Technology

KNEX Technology is a trusted leader in Oracle Cloud solutions, delivering cutting-edge products and services to help businesses achieve their objectives. Through its innovative approach and customer-focused strategies, KNEX enables organizations to navigate the complexities of today’s technology landscape. For more information, visit www.knextech.com.

Media Contact

Husna Gyasi, KNEX Technology, 1 (949) 232-0786, husna.ghayaisi@knextech.com, https://knextech.com/

Twitter, LinkedIn

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SOURCE KNEX Technology

Technology

Dr. Gerard van Belle Appointed Director of Science at Lowell Observatory, Charting a Bold Future for Research

Published

3 hours ago

January 11, 2025

Dr. van Belle to guide scientific exploration and foster innovation in the next era of astronomical research

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Lowell Observatory is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gerard van Belle as the new Director of Science. Van Belle, who has been an astronomer at the observatory since 2011, has been serving as the interim Director of Science.

In his new role, van Belle will lead a diverse team of astronomers and planetary scientists. He will spearhead the observatory’s new Science Vision, which focuses on advancing research capabilities and implementing cutting-edge technological improvements supporting Lowell’s leadership in astronomical research.

Under his leadership, the science department will continue to advance Lowell Observatory’s mission to pursue the study of astronomy, including the study of our solar system and its evolution, and to conduct pure research in astrophysical phenomena.

Van Belle’s own research focuses on fundamental stellar parameters, including the sizes, shapes, masses, distances, and temperatures of various types of stars. He is also renowned for his expertise in optical and near-infrared astronomical interferometry.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from Whitman College in 1990, followed by a master’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University in 1993, and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Wyoming in 1996.

Throughout his career, van Belle has been instrumental in the development and commissioning of major optical interferometers worldwide, including the Palomar Testbed Interferometer, the Keck Interferometer, and the Very Large Telescope Interferometer. His pioneering work in stellar surface imaging earned him the inaugural Edward Stone Award for Outstanding Research Publication at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 2002.

In 2011, van Belle joined Lowell Observatory’s science staff, where he applied high-resolution astronomical techniques to detect nearby exoplanets and map stellar surfaces. He served as the Director of the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer (NPOI) in Flagstaff, Arizona, from 2017 to 2018, and subsequently as its Chief Scientist until 2022.

Notably, van Belle was among the astronomers who voted against the definition of ‘planet’ advanced during the 2006 International Astronomical Union (IAU) conference in Prague, which relegated Pluto to being a ‘dwarf planet’ (which according to the IAU resolution is not a planet).

His extensive experience and dedication to advancing astronomical research make him a valuable leader for Lowell Observatory’s scientific endeavors.

“I am honored to take on this role at such a pivotal time for Lowell Observatory,” said van Belle. “Our Science Vision will guide us in exploring new frontiers in astronomy while strengthening our commitment to public engagement and education.”

Executive Director Dr. Amanda Bosh expressed her confidence in van Belle’s leadership: “Gerard’s extensive experience and dedication to our mission make him the ideal person to lead our scientific endeavors. I look forward to working closely with him as we embark on this exciting new chapter for Lowell Observatory.”

For more information about Lowell Observatory’s research and public programs, visit lowell.edu.

About Lowell Observatory
Founded in 1894, Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, is a renowned nonprofit research institution. It is the site of historic and groundbreaking discoveries, including the first evidence of the expanding universe and the discovery of Pluto. Today, Lowell’s astronomers utilize global ground-based and space telescopes, along with NASA spacecraft, for diverse astronomical and planetary science research. The observatory hosts more than 100,000 visitors annually for educational tours, presentations, and telescope viewing through a suite of world-class public telescopes.

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SOURCE Lowell Observatory

Technology

ALTICE USA IS ABANDONING LOCAL SPORTS FANS AND IS KEEPING MSG NETWORKS AND ITS KNICKS, RANGERS, ISLANDERS AND DEVILS COVERAGE OFF THE AIR

Published

4 hours ago

January 10, 2025

NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — MSG Networks released the following statement about their dispute with Altice USA:

“Altice USA has pulled their last proposal and walked away from negotiations to bring MSG Networks back to its Optimum subscribers. They also just dropped WPIX Channel 11 in New York and other local stations around the country. If you have been waiting, like we have, for them to do right by their customers – don’t wait any longer. Now is the time to switch to Verizon Fios who has a special offer for Optimum subscribers. Meanwhile, Optimum has been charging their over 1 million customers for local sports programming they have not been receiving and EVERY subscriber should be credited at least $10 a month.

Verizon Fios is ready to take your business. If you are not in Verizon Fios area, you can get games through these other providers DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, Fubo and The Gotham Sports App. For more options on how to switch providers, visit www.keepMSG.com.”

About MSG Networks

MSG Networks, a pioneer in sports media, owns and operates two award-winning regional sports and entertainment networks (MSG and MSG Sportsnet) and MSG+, a direct-to-consumer and authenticated streaming offering (included in the Gotham Sports App), that serve the nation’s number one media market, the New York DMA, as well as other portions of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. The networks feature a wide range of compelling sports content, including exclusive live local games and other programming of the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres, as well as significant coverage of the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills. This content, in addition to a diverse array of other sporting events and critically acclaimed original programming, has established MSG Networks as the gold standard in regional sports. MSG Networks is part of the Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE: SPHR).

Contact:

Dan Schoenberg (dan.schoenberg@msg.com)

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SOURCE Sphere Entertainment Co.