graeme_p - 8:47 am on Apr 25, 2011 (gmt 0)

@BillyS the GPL provides a patent license from the writer and distributors of the GPL work. It cannot protect you from being sued by a third party.

The problem with the patent system as it is that you never know when you might be hit with a patent suit regardless of what software you use. Some patent holders deliberately hold off enforcing a patent for many years till what is patented is widely used.