Re: Article: IBM wants to "clean up the license" of Linux

Albert D. Cahalan (acahalan@cs.uml.edu)
Sun, 20 Dec 1998 15:24:44 -0500 (EST)

>> IPv6 routing Several good algorithms are prohibited.
>> compression Arithmetic encoding (bzip), MPEG, audio, GIF...
>> encryption Idea, RSA, some kinds of key exchange...
>> color management The gimp can't do it. Damn.
>> filesystem updates We can't do delayed ordered writes.
>> OSPF The IETF is not happy with this one!
>> quality-of-service Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) QoS
>> register allocation Ever wonder why VC++ code can beat g++ code?
>> PPP Can't return a useful error code to the other side.
>> drivers/net/zlib.c Must use code with nonlinear time
>
> This is true if (and only if) you are in U.S. Right? In such case it
> would probably be good idea if "patenet-breaking" code was developed
> here in Europe... I do not know if using apps produced by european
> people would be then legal for u.s. people, but even good apps for us
> europeans would be good thing (tm) :-). [It would be also kicker for
> U.S. government: if there are better programs for european people than
> there are for U.S. people, it will hurt U.S. for sure :)]

Let's say we added the following:

CONFIG_USE_PATENTS For non-US people only. Sure. :-)

#ifdef CONFIG_USE_PATENTS
/* --BEGIN PATENT--
* number 435353425
* expire 20031127
* owner Motorola
* name PPP
* --END PATENT--
*/
/* good code goes here */
#else
/* crummy code goes here */
#endif

Also have a tool to scan for expired patents.

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