@boxalex, i think that u think in the wrong way (excuse me if i'm wrong),
Do you mean centralize/decentralize or closed source / opensource?
What i am trying to say: ETN is opensource, but like in the whole tech world, some patents are very, very important to secure your business model.
If you want that some technique u create will be able to use in the real world (like instant payments in this way ETN is doing), u must have an patent on it.
Still, every dev in this world is free to create his own technique. So they are blocking nobody on this way, they just secure there own technique what is normall (beter, its very good that they have an patent on this).
Also, what if ETN didnt get a patent on that technique, and what if another team decide to patent it.. ETN would lose there own technique, so before someone else get a patent, you must be first. So yes, it's very good that ETN decide to patent an usefull technique what they created.
I hope u can see it on this way so it makes more sense for you (because i didn't even start about all the positive things about this patent. 1st, they got an stamp on there name in the tech world by this patent)
I'am not the patent expert but only have some limited overview on it or/and basic knowledge, but in my opinion:
- nobody can patent open source, means nobody could force out ETN to use it's own research/technology.
- a patent can only be registered by a real person, group of persons or of course companies. Either you have it on open source (decentralized) or patented (centralized), one just excludes the other.
- every open source project is able in real world (as you describe it) to use open source, no need of a patent at all.
- patents serve for 2 things, monetizing the patent eventually later and/or protecting competition to use the same technology. Again, both are against decentralization, hence when it comes to patents every believer in decentralization should have real concerns here.
- eventually and maybe there is an option a given patent can be used by everyone without any restrictions for FREE, enough the patentholder gets mentioned for example. This would be the only case i could think it would "decentralization confirm", but than again, open source is practically the same, why waste big amount of money for a patent registration?!
As said, i'am not the expert and just writing this with common sense and logic, if someone has better more accurate info, please add it or correct by thoughts.