For a few dollars more

It's nice to be able to make a difference.

Since David Axmark and I started to work on MySQL we also took a strong stand against software patents. MySQL AB have been sponsoring several efforts to prevent software patents in Europa.

Now David and I are continuing to do this outside of MySQL AB. We just gave an economic sponsorship to the Patent Lens, who recently lost their main sponsor, so that it can continue it's important work in making the patents system more accessible.

Here is a short description of Patent Lens from it's founder, Richard A Jefferson:

We are working to generalize the Patent Lens as the informatics platform of the Initiative for Open Innovation, which aspires to render worldwide patent systems understandable and navigable, and to guide policy and practice reform. We intend to create a sector and jurisdiction agnostic resource that is open source, open access and free of cost.

The funding you may provide will keep a small core team going long enough to make it through these lean times and build new momentum.

If you are a philanthropist and if you care about open source software and don't have a love for the current patent system, I encourage you to join us in sponsoring Patent Lens. You can also try to get your company to sponsor.

David and I have also recently sponsored another company that works for Free and open source software, the Software Freedom Law Center.

We did it because we believe in what they are doing and we are greatful for all the help that Eben Moglen gave us in the past when we got into trouble.