On Fri, 18 Jul 2003, Tim Roberts 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.
My my Tim, you have such an eloquent way of describing this stuff. ;o) I'll have to save your post so I can forward it to the next person who starts the same flamewar in 2 weeks. ;o) You sure hit the nail right on the head, and this is what the average person really doesn't understand IMHO. Good post! TTYL -- Mike A. Harris _______________________________________________ Devel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://XFree86.Org/mailman/listinfo/devel
