Re: LZW patented file left in .orig.tar source package?
On Wed, Oct 23, 2002 at 02:30:25PM -0500, Jeff Licquia wrote:
> That doesn't sound right to me. (Though, really, what do I know? All
> standard disclaimers apply.)
>
> I was under the impression that patents are use licenses, and are as
> such tied to the use you make of the objects covered by them. You can
> make a car engine that infringes on a particular patent, for example,
> without a license; you just can't put it in your car and drive around.
> If that particular configuration of metal just happens to be very good
> at distributing water to a row of plants in a garden, the patent holder
> is out of luck regarding my use of the engine as a watering can (unless
> s/he owns the patent on that use of the engine as well).
>
> If I'm right, then the source file cannot be held as violating a patent
> claim unless it's compiled and executed.
I believe Freetype still contains the Apple-patented hinting; it's disabled
in the source, with documentation that says "enable this only if you have a
license to use it".
However, that might be at the permission of Apple. I don't know.
--
Glenn Maynard
Reply to: