Out of all the free and open source licences which are available, there are two which are disproportionately chosen by FOSS developers when licensing their software. Those two are the GPL and the LGPL. Of these, the GPL is disproportionately favoured over the LGPL.* If there are issues with GPL implementations then there are IP issues with OOXML. Any assurance that excludes implementation under these licences is just cause for the FOSS community to voice concern.

There cannot be two International Standards. Indeed in the past we had two or three different industry standards. But what has happened? Only one has survived. The better? Not always, and what a waste of resources in the process. The clear example of VHS surviving over Betamax, expunging the better standard to the benefit of the worst one, should be indicative. And when I say the worst, it is not just a matter of taste!

Yes, folks. Rick Jelliffe, who just told us that Microsoft hired him ("As I have mentioned, one of my jobs this month is for Microsoft, to play Devil’s Advocate with the Ecma responses..."), is representing Australia at the BRM. "Political issues don't come into it." Don't you just love it?]

As the battle over XML document standards heats up, Microsoft is gearing up its campaign to drive the adoption of its Office Open XML (OOXML) format in the lead up to a crucial ISO ballot resolution meeting scheduled for the end of this month. And Asia could play a significant role in determining the outcome.

Dennis Crouch has an excellent summary of the Federal Circuit's en banc order today, revisiting whether business method claims are patentable and whether State Street Bank should be overruled. Dennis lists the en banc questions and claim 1 of the Bilski patent here.

As announced at public.resource.org, CC and public.resource.org have announced the first release of material to support our free law project. After raising a large chunk of change from great and generous sorts like David Boies, John Gilmore, the Omidyar Network and the Elbaz Foundation, we've purchased a database of a substantial part of all federal cases.

A Federal Judge has issued an order to force Dynadot from resolving the wikileaks.org domain name and block anyone from transferring the registrar.

Legal experts thankfully are stating just how ridiculous this order is.

Judge White’s order disabling the entire site “is clearly not constitutional,” said David Ardia

Here's hoping for a quick appeal and reversal.