Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 09:45:46 -0400 From: Bill Vermillion <bill@wjv.com> To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Patented algorithm in FreeBSD Message-ID: <20010613094546.F79593@wjv.com>
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Patents don't always require licensing. Ever Unix system extant has a patented piece in it [or perhaps HAD is more appropriate] as the patents had expired. I saw the copy of it years ago and I looked for it recently but can't figure out where it is. The permissions - the old -rwx- etc we are so familiar with was patented, Ritchie or Thompson, and was patented and permitted to be used by anyone. This was so no one could monopolize it. Jordan pointed out the XOR routing for curosor hiding, and 15 years ago there was big hub-bub and a lot of net-posting on that fearing that someone might try to enforce that. It was a well-know useage but someone did patent it. This goes to the era of the suits on 'look and feel'. We just need to hide all the code from the lawyers. -- Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
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