Free software is built on the premise that sharing ideas is both morally and pragmatically superior.
But software patents are often employed by corporations to build walls around ideas. Some would argue, flatly, that they cannot. Together, as of May 1, the pair will give open-source programmers and projects the chance to work within the patent system even as they strive to overturn it. The success of the venture isn't assured. Neither the guaranteed searches nor the sharper legal teeth will necessarily stem the tide of dubious patents, say some critics.