Florian Müller

Born on January 21, 1970, in Augsburg, Germany, he began writing for German computer magazines in the mid-1980s and, at just 16, became Germany’s youngest computer book author. Later, he co-founded the online gaming service Rival Network, which was acquired by Telefónica in early 2000.

He also worked as an adviser in the software world, including consulting for MySQL and later writing the FOSSPatents blog on patent and copyright issues. In 2004, he launched the NoSoftwarePatents campaign, which became closely associated with opposition to proposed European software patent rules.

Over time, his work expanded beyond publishing into technology policy and consulting. Public sources describe him as an app developer, intellectual property activist, blogger, entrepreneur, and business consultant — a mix that helps explain why his writing often sits at the crossroads of software, law, and industry.