On Fri, 18 Jul 2003 12:25:16 +0200, Sven Luther wrote: > >Maybe they could have the whole X driver and kernel module in open >source, and only keep the opengl library as proprietary stuff. I more or >less doubt they have any IP involved in these part, at least some really >meaningfull stuff.
Unfortunately, "interesting" and "meaningful" are NOT among the criteria used by the US Patent and Trademark Office in awarding patents. The fact is most chip companies DO hold patents on some peculiar aspect of their chips, and they have to pretend to protect them in order to maintain their usefulness. Most people don't realize how much the patent business has turned from being an invention protector into one big Pokemon game. Company A decides to attack Company B. They lay down three of their patents in the Pokemon arena and say, "AHA!, you violate these patents, please pay me a million a year or I'll sue." Company B goes back to their Pokedex, chooses three likely candidates from THEIR patent portfolio, and responsd "AHA!, you are violating OUR patents! Sign this cross-licensing agreement or my Charizard's flame thrower attack will turn you to ashes." The two companies sign the agreement in order to avoid the court system, put their patents back into their Pokeballs, and life goes on. They have to have patents in order to make their Pokemon card deck strong enough to survive battles like that. Of course, this is all anathema to the open source and free software movements. This e-mail also demonstrates that my children have spent WAY too much time with Pokemon. -- - Tim Roberts, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc. _______________________________________________ Devel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://XFree86.Org/mailman/listinfo/devel