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Given the number of people advocating on HN that software shouldn't be patentable, I'm surprised at how many people now consider it vitally important to be able to use software patents against Facebook. If you do not believe in using software patents, this patent clause should not affect you in any negative way.

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There are also defensive patents. If you don't defend them, you can lose them. If Facebook (or a company that they acquire) starts by infringing your patents, then the PATENTS file would seem to apply.

I haven't heard anyone address that scenario yet.

I think the real concern is that there is nothing in PATENTS that restricts itself to software patents, if tomorrow say a University patents a new AR/VR Chip and Facebook/Oculus infringes on that patent there the PATENTS would affect all researchers/students at that University.

If I am mistaken please show me where it states that only the agreement is restricted to software patents alone.

I am completely fine with Facebook's choice at end of the day it's their hard work and right. However it's important to understand broader implications.

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