Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson and other game developers found themselves the target of a lawsuit filed over the summer by Uniloc, a company alleging that the developers' games used "a system and method for preventing unauthorized access to electronic data [covering] executable computer code on an electronic device to prevent unauthorized access to electronic data stored on the electronic device."
Later tweeting about the circumstances of the lawsuit, Notch vowed that he would "throw piles of money at making sure they don't get a cent." Evidently, he's following through on that.
Free speech and privacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation announced that Notch donated $250,000 to push for software patent reform. Notch's donation was matched by entrepeneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
According to a press release, Notch's donation "cements EFF's ability to tackle the systemic problems with software patents. With a blend of lawyers, technologists, and activists, EFF will push for reform in the courts, through activism campaigns, and by educating the public and politicians about what is wrong with software patents and what needs to change."
"Temporary fixes aren't good enough - we need deep and meaningful reform to protect software development and keep it as free and democratic as possible," said Persson in a statement.
"New games and other technological tools come from improving on old things and making them better - an iterative process that the current patent environment could shut down entirely. This is a dangerous path we're on, and I'm glad to help EFF move us in the right direction."
