[hackerspaces] DPL: Defensive Patent License -- and Hackerspaces

[Matthew Senate]

I saw a presentation this summer about the DPL, having heard murmurings for
some time of a "Creative Commons" approach for patents. The DPL creates a
fairly complex and intriguing system that I think is worth examining.

What can hackers do to practically resist the domination of knowledge
through exclusive rights regimes propped up by patent laws?

Does the DPL offer a valuable option akin to free cultural and free
software licenses?

In case you're already at least curious, the DPL launch is scheduled for
November 7th, 2014 in Berkeley, California:
http://www.law.berkeley.edu/16151.htm

Also, I had an idea.

It's a bit weird, so please read about the DPL first:
http://www.defensivepatentlicense.com/

What if the hackerspaces community, through some of its various respective
corporate entities, opted in one-by-one to DPL, especially early on, in
order to get access to this body of patents? Then, what if among all the
participating hackerspace entities, for each patent in the pool, we
coordinated such that at least one hackerspace community would implement a
prototype demonstrating the principle of each patent. This way, any one
member of the hackerspaces community can find a license through some other
community member for each patent, even if the originator of that patent
leaves the DPL patent pool.

Basically, I'm suggesting a potential path to maximize benefits and
minimize risk for the most people possible, through the DPL. Maybe I did
not represent this idea accurately, would love feedback!

On the other hand, I'm not exactly sold on DPL and would like to learn more
and see if the approach above isn't possible or perhaps is sub-optimal, or
otherwise undesirable.

// Matt
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