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Re: Shuffle those deck chairs!

2004-10-15 12:46:51
On Fri, 15 Oct 2004, Eric S. Raymond wrote:
Pekka Savola <pekkas(_at_)netcore(_dot_)fi>:
Hmm.. Being an OSS/FSF enthusiast myself, I'm not sure if the last
requirement, about code re-use, is a strict requirement.  Sure, it
would be nice if there wasn't such a thing, but it would seem to be
better to get the first two points and fail at the third than get
nothing at all.

Think harder.  The problem with area-of-application rules is isomorphic
to the "commercial/noncommercial" problem.  The really nasty cases are
near service libraries.

Maybe you should spell this out.

For example, service libraries need not be a problem.  Consider a
service library which infringes a patent on SIP, which is to be
restricted to interoperability with the SIP protocol.  There is no
issue if the service library is only useful with SIP, because all the
use cases of the service library (excluding looking at the code and
taking away the code) would be OK by the policy.

Obviously, there is a problem if a patent claims to invent something
commonplace such as 'xml', and grants its use only for the purpose of
IETF standards or a specific standard.  But I'm not sure if I recall
something like that.

-- 
Pekka Savola                 "You each name yourselves king, yet the
Netcore Oy                    kingdom bleeds."
Systems. Networks. Security. -- George R.R. Martin: A Clash of Kings


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