Subject: Patent
From: Greg Maxwell (greg@linuxpower.cx)
Date: Wed Nov 03 1999 - 03:20:34 CET
I thought you all might want to know:
Almost all Linux kernels today are infringing on US patent #5,806,063
The infringing code is in linux/arch/i386/kernel/time.c:get_cmos_time.
It deals with using 'windowing' to convert non-y2k-ok dates into 4 digit
dates.
(http://164.195.100.11/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=curr&s1='McDonnell+Douglas'&s2='year+2000'&OS='McDonnell+Douglas'+AND+'year+2000'&RS='McDonnell+Douglas'+AND+'year+2000')
Nevermind the fact that Linux had this code more then a year before the
patent was applied for. :)
How does the GPL look opon this, can I still distribute Linux since I
dont agree with the patent? If I (as say a linux distro) license the
patent (to cover my ass) could I still distribute Linux?
Could we somehow use this to make McDonnell Douglas Corporation (patent
holder) remove all their Linux? :) :) :)
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b25 : Wed Nov 03 1999 - 09:11:54 CET