[Updated 10:50pm PDT] Both FSMLabs and the Free Software Foundation have now issued press releases announcing the full resolution of the RTLinux license dispute. Here they are . . .

FSMLabs press release:

Socorro, NM — (press release excerpt) — FSMLabs, Inc. announced today that it has reached an agreement with the Free Software Foundation regarding its RTLinux Open Patent License.

On Friday, September 14, 2001, the Free Software Foundation (FSF) issued a spirited press release on the RTLinux Open Patent License that permits use of the GPL version of FSMLabs RTLinux. Discussions over the weekend showed that the FSF was reacting to an unpublished, preliminary draft of the license, not the license published by FSMLabs in January 2001. The FSF has withdrawn its statement and requested a few small additional changes to the current version.

“On Monday, both sides agreed, in principle, to a settlement of the dispute and a cessation to 'hostilities',” said Victor Yodaiken, FSMLabs CEO. “We're happy to be able to put this matter aside and to continue publishing GPL/RTLinux as a service to the open source community.”

Yodaiken pointed out that FSMLabs commercial business was not affected by the dispute.

“I particularly want to thank Red Hat for helping us resolve this problem,” said Yodaiken. He also thanked the numerous members of the open source community to who came to FSMLab's defense.

“We've always balanced our sustainable software business with development work for the open source community,” said Cort Dougan, FSMLabs Director of Engineering. “There were those who were upset with us and we appreciate their idealism and enthusiasm. But we're also ready to move on to more productive activities.”

Boston, MA — The Free Software Foundation and Finite State Machine Labs (FSMLabs) have come to an agreement on a fully GPL-compliant version of FSMLabs RTLinux Open Patent License. FSF and FSMLabs are working to finalize the license language; FSMLabs will be publishing on its website the text of that license, with a statement by FSF confirming its GPL-compliant status, in the very near future.

The FSF has already withdrawn its press statement (issued Friday, 14 September 2001) concerning RTLinux license terms. Our differences turned out to be mostly a result of unfortunate miscommunications and we urge everyone to put this dispute behind them. FSF and FSMLabs expect to continue their cooperation to secure availability of FSMLabs patented technology for use in GNU/Linux systems.

The FSF thanks FSMLabs for its contribution of this patent license to the free software community, and for its longstanding support and publication of free software under the GPL.

 
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