Kevin Peuhkurinen a écrit :
Andrew Newton wrote:
- Many a message have been dedicated toward discussing the potential
abuse Microsoft may undertake while armed with a patent. However,
there has been little discussion regarding Microsoft's willingness and
ability (via deep pockets) to fend off counter patent claims. Should
Sender ID go forward with the acceptance of Microsoft's IPR, it leaves
little doubt that another entity claiming rights to such technology
will have to go through Microsoft to find remedy. However, if MARID
were to produce another standard such as Classic SPF or even CSV, who
will defend a legal claim against it?
This is fear-mongering, I'm afraid to say. It makes no sense to say
"here we have some verifiably homegrown IP with no encumberances and
here we have some encumbered IP. Let's use the encumbered IP rather
than the unencumbered IP because otherwise we might get sued by parties
unknown". In any case, the EFF and PubPat amongst others have come into
being just for the purpose of defending the public at large against
these types of attacks.
<irony>
It's an interesting new concept : Make sure we get eaten by the lion
today, so we are sure we don't have any risk of being possibly attacked by
a wolf at some unknown later time ;-)
MS has publicly announced its intention of getting much more patents
covering every possible area this year (if I remember well, the figure was
something like 20,000 ?). This is no hidden agenda, this is public,
published information. If they get as many patents, they will just turn
computer science into a minefield where you can't walk without the risk of
seing an unknown MS patent burst under your feet. That's great.
So for sure, chosing as a standard an algorithm which is already covered
by alledged IPR from a company which has a so good record of acting for
the community good in a disinterested way, is the best choice we can
make...
</irony>
--
Michel Bouissou <michel(_at_)bouissou(_dot_)net> OpenPGP ID 0xDDE8AC6E