The Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) has unveiled a Patent Commons Project that will help developers to avoid infringing patents. The not-for-profit organisation, which aims to further the adoption of Linux, employs several open source developers including Linux creator Linus Torvalds.
OSDL chief executive Stuart Cohen said at the LinuxWorld tradeshow in San Francisco that the project will build a library of patents that have been pledged to support open source. It will also allow individual patent holders to indicate that they allow the use of their patents in open source products.