From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S264275AbTLUULS (ORCPT ); Sun, 21 Dec 2003 15:11:18 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S264277AbTLUULS (ORCPT ); Sun, 21 Dec 2003 15:11:18 -0500 Received: from amber.ccs.neu.edu ([129.10.116.51]:62133 "EHLO amber.ccs.neu.edu") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S264275AbTLUULP (ORCPT ); Sun, 21 Dec 2003 15:11:15 -0500 Subject: Re: [OT] use of patented algorithms in the kernel ok or not? From: Stan Bubrouski To: linux-kernel mailing list In-Reply-To: <20031221195528.GA29261@citd.de> References: <1071969177.1742.112.camel@cube> <20031221105333.GC3438@mail.shareable.org> <1072034966.1286.119.camel@duergar> <20031221195528.GA29261@citd.de> Content-Type: multipart/signed; micalg=pgp-sha1; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; boundary="=-+0jVyN97LBnK1yZ4LU4t" Message-Id: <1072037473.1286.132.camel@duergar> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Ximian Evolution 1.4.5 (1.4.5-7) Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 15:11:14 -0500 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org --=-+0jVyN97LBnK1yZ4LU4t Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable On Sun, 2003-12-21 at 14:55, Matthias Schniedermeyer wrote: > The question is "What toes are OK to step onto". >=20 I totally understand this. To a point. > e.g. > To the best of my knowledge it should be illegal to distribute 2.6 > kernel in France because AFAIK it is illegal to use encryption there. > (If not France, there are other countries that fit) True, but that has always been the case. > (And you remember that this same problem was only resolved a few years > ago for the U.S.! Otherwise the crypto-stuff would have been in kernel > for years!) >=20 This really isn't a crypto question though, and this has financial ramifications here as well. Violating a French law isn't as scary to me as having to hire a patent lawyer here in the US... > So the only question is "Is it OK to step on the U.S. toe?". > I guess there are other countries on this small planet (>200 IIRC) where > the current linux kernel has it's "problems(tm)" here and there. >=20 Hey I'm all for allowing the use of patented algorithms in the kernel, but I think they should be separate trees or patches that can be applied and hosted elsewhere, the same way crypto was afor a long time. I think the idea should be to step on as few toes as possible, not knowingly do it because it can be done...that's all. You have to remember, patents here are frightening, and you damned well better have a lot of money if you are going to need a patent lawyer, that is a commodity most of us can't afford. -sb >=20 >=20 >=20 >=20 > Bis denn --=-+0jVyN97LBnK1yZ4LU4t Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name=signature.asc Content-Description: This is a digitally signed message part -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.2 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQA/5f5hQHy9+2ztQiARAnbsAKC94a6e6R/SGe31sjxtRUcQkAz4bwCfZPuV 77thSJ8aPqvic+lWuVF1jXk= =H49W -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --=-+0jVyN97LBnK1yZ4LU4t--