SiliconValley.com reports:
Facing sharp criticism from academic computing experts, Blackboard Inc. announced Thursday what it calls a legally binding promise that it won't pursue patent lawsuits against users of open-source online classroom technology ...
A year ago, Washington, D.C.-based Blackboard, which has about 60 percent of the market for so-called ``e-learning'' systems, was awarded a patent that covers some of the basic features of the software used by colleges and universities to run courses over the Internet.
The patents prompted an angry backlash from some members of the academic computing community, who called it an attempt to own the very idea of online learning.
Many universities mix and match e-learning software, both proprietary and open source, to develop their own distinctive systems. Blackboard's patent, they argued, went against the spirit of academic cooperation and would stifle innovation. Some said they feared lawsuits.
Read more here.
