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Date:      Sat, 10 Feb 2001 17:33:05 -0400
From:      "Jeroen C. van Gelderen" <jeroen@vangelderen.org>
To:        Roelof Osinga <roelof@nisser.com>
Cc:        Kris Kennaway <kris@obsecurity.org>, freebsd-security@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Reminder notice about FreeBSD Security Advisories
Message-ID:  <3A85B391.DB3ABC2A@vangelderen.org>
References:  <20010209214354.2FBD637B4EC@hub.freebsd.org> <Pine.BSF.4.33.0102092253530.63359-100000@deneb.dbai.tuwien.ac.at> <20010209140614.A67010@mollari.cthul.hu> <3A853F1C.DED59C4B@nisser.com> <20010210053726.A45756@mollari.cthul.hu> <3A854C41.7BA1B2A1@nisser.com> <3A85799E.C6A3745B@vangelderen.org> <3A85AF50.1DF04F6F@nisser.com>

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Roelof Osinga wrote:
> 
> "Jeroen C. van Gelderen" wrote:
> >
> > The above is not correct. The IDEA algorithm is patented in
> > Europe as #0482154. Noncommercial use is free, commercial
> > use requires a paid license. This has been the case ever
> > since PGP 2.x.x was released and will be the case until the
> > year 2011. Fortunately there is no reason whatsoever to use
> > IDEA these days, except for legacy purposes.
> >
> >  http://www.media-crypt.com/pages/fidea.html
> 
> Yeah, but then again:
> 
> http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,40329,00.html
> 
> supports my 'idea' about the IDEA matter. 

Actually, it does not.

> To quote from the wired article:
> 
> "European law specifically forbids patents on computer software,
> but the European Patent Office is strongly in favor of changing
> that."

But IDEA is an algorithm, not software and therefore perfectly 
patentable. So please, don't argue to the contrary until you 
have consulted with a patent lawyer and can present us with
some *hard* facts.

> The question now becomes do we believe a vendor with a vested
> interest in claiming its patented (or is it patent penging?) or an
> independent source with no stake in the matter?

The independent source here seems to be your incorrect reading 
of an article in Wired neither of which, as far as I know, have
any sound expertise in field of patent law.

[snip unfounded speculation]

Cheers,
Jeroen
-- 
Jeroen C. van Gelderen          o      _     _         _
jeroen@vangelderen.org  _o     /\_   _ \\o  (_)\__/o  (_)
                      _< \_   _>(_) (_)/<_    \_| \   _|/' \/
                     (_)>(_) (_)        (_)   (_)    (_)'  _\o_


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