Re: LZW patented file left in .orig.tar source package?

[Walter Landry <wlandry@ucsd.edu>]

Richard Braakman <dark@xs4all.nl> wrote:
> On Wed, Oct 23, 2002 at 09:58:50AM -0700, Walter Landry wrote:
> > You have to take it out of whatever Debian distributes.  I can
> > download the the .orig.tar.gz file, so it can't be in that.  Even if
> > the .diff.gz takes it out.
> 
> Hmm, but why?  You're explicitly allowed to describe how a patented
> algorithm works, that's the whole point of patents.  And source code
> is just a detailed description of how the algorithm works.
> 
> Are you talking about distributability or about freeness?

I'm talking about distributability.  You are not allowed to distribute
an implementation of a patent.  The code is an implementation of that
patent.  We can argue whether that makes sense, but that is my
understanding of the law.

Regards,
Walter Landry
wlandry@ucsd.edu