On Thu, Mar 06, 2003 at 05:06:41PM +0000, Alan Cox wrote: | Maybe it will be easier now MS have resigned, although that puts them in a | nice position to avoid declaring patent interests and destroy OpenGL by | submarine patenting games
Microsoft caught a lot of flak over their intellectual-property claim for the vertex-programming extension, but in fact they did everything properly according to the ARB rules. (Their disclosure even used the recommended language, word-for-word.) It's the rules themselves that need updating. The ARB isn't the only standards organization from which Microsoft has resigned recently. One likely reason is that they intend to pursue patent licensing more aggressively. In the case of OpenGL, this adds to the risk, but it's not a new problem. Non-ARB companies like Pixar own significant patents that could be used to sabotage open 3D APIs, and in the past even some ARB members refused to allow patented technology into OpenGL. (Anisotropic filtering is one example.) The ARB is rewriting its intellectual-property policy to help deal with the situation. It's difficult to maintain a balance; we need enough incentive for patent-holders to participate in the standards process that we can offset the potential loss-of-revenue from royalty-based licensing. There may also be some antitrust issues that have to be addressed. Allen ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by: Etnus, makers of TotalView, The debugger for complex code. Debugging C/C++ programs can leave you feeling lost and disoriented. TotalView can help you find your way. Available on major UNIX and Linux platforms. Try it free. www.etnus.com _______________________________________________ Dri-devel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/dri-devel
