The legal rules often play a key role when it comes to business models in software businesses and notably in free and open source software projects. This is particularly true when the project owner wants to maintain some level of control over the software and the project itself. The balance between control and freedom is achieved by legal tools and policies, such as licenses, compliance policies, contracts, trademarks, organization rules, contribution policies, only to name a few.
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Long articles
Article: Protecting the business of a gaming company – IPRs in games
This article was first published in IPRinfo 2/2012. Games and the gaming industry have progressed in leaps during the last 30 years. From simple storytelling via computers, we have come to a compelling and multilateral form of entertainment drawing from literature, movies and sports. Games offer an unprecedented possibility for human creativity in storytelling, and sweep the audience along to the storytelling, and to the production of the game’s content. According to estimates the global game industry was valued at 65 Billion USD in 2011. Currently the time and money spent on games is increasing, and the upward trend seems permanent. This article presents the basis of an IPR strategy of a gaming company. It gives an overview on how the choices made in an IPR strategy may affect a company’s practical choices, taking into account the company’s industrial environment. The Basis of an IPR Strategy An IPR strategy consists of (i) the identification of the central business elements to be protected, (ii) the tools – such as intellectual and industrial property rights (IPRs) – available to be used in such protection and (iii) the application of the tools within the business of the company. A strategy aims to…
Read MoreArticle: Legal tools in creation of an open source business
Martin von Willebrand, a partner at HH Partners writes on: Use of Legal Tools in Creation of an Open Source Project and Business Model The legal rules often play a key role when it comes to business models in software businesses and notably in free and open source software projects. This is particularly true when the project owner wants to maintain some level of control over the software and the project itself. The balance between control and freedom is achieved by legal tools and policies, such as licenses, compliance policies,contracts, trademarks, organization rules, contribution policies, only to name a few.
Read MoreOpen source compliance in businesses
Martin von Willebrand and Mikko-Pekka Partanen write on Open Source Software Package Review for businesses in the recently published issue of International Free and Open Source Softare Law Review (IFOSSLR).
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