“Proprietary software companies could sue open source software
developers or end users for patent infringement, but they probably
won’t, says one intellectual property attorney. If they do, the
Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) plans to be ready.“Though the threat of lawsuits is often heard rumbling over the
horizon like an approaching storm, the potential benefits for
patent holders probably aren’t attractive enough to spark
litigation, says James Gatto, a patent and intellectual property
attorney with Pillsbury Winthrop law firm…”