From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Return-Path: <linux-kernel-owner+willy=40w.ods.org@vger.kernel.org>
Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand
	id S264377AbTDXU4m (ORCPT <rfc822;willy@w.ods.org>);
	Thu, 24 Apr 2003 16:56:42 -0400
Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S264397AbTDXU4m
	(ORCPT <rfc822;linux-kernel-outgoing>);
	Thu, 24 Apr 2003 16:56:42 -0400
Received: from mail.jlokier.co.uk ([81.29.64.88]:17800 "EHLO
	mail.jlokier.co.uk") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S264377AbTDXU4k
	(ORCPT <rfc822;linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>);
	Thu, 24 Apr 2003 16:56:40 -0400
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 22:08:46 +0100
From: Jamie Lokier <jamie@shareable.org>
To: Daniel Phillips <phillips@arcor.de>
Cc: William Lee Irwin III <wli@holomorphy.com>,
       Linus Torvalds <torvalds@transmeta.com>,
       Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Flame Linus to a crisp!
Message-ID: <20030424210846.GG30082@mail.jlokier.co.uk>
References: <20030424051510.GK8931@holomorphy.com> <20030424061500.GN8978@holomorphy.com> <20030424074400.GD28253@mail.jlokier.co.uk> <20030424185708.0D34912E79E@mx12.arcor-online.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: <20030424185708.0D34912E79E@mx12.arcor-online.net>
User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.1i
Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org
X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org

Daniel Phillips wrote:
> On Thu 24 Apr 03 09:44, Jamie Lokier wrote:
> > It only gets _really_ bad when it becomes illegal to make your own
> > hardware :(
> 
> Actually, that's where we were a few years ago with hardware, because nearly 
> anything anybody would want to print on a wafer was covered by patents or 
> copyrights.  It's getting better by leaps and bounds.  Now, a lot of patents 
> have expired, a lot of non-proprietary cores are available, and it's mainly 
> the EDM tools that are non-free.  That's where we coders can help.

Suppose I did want to print some wafers.

Suppose, also, that I had developed a method that didn't require a
$10M+ factory.

(Also suppose I had _very_ steady hands, no dandruff, and my garden
shed was big enough :)

I'm curious - how do I go about learning what I do and don't need
patent licenses for making chips, without spending an absurd sum on
legal fees?

-- Jamie