Re: Plugins, libraries, licenses and Debian

[Anthony DeRobertis <asd@suespammers.org>]

On Dec 9, 2003, at 12:00, Måns Rullgård wrote:

> > There is a more than plausible argument that just about everything in
> > Debian violates a software patent.
>
> Hmm, which one?

Plop a few random but recent patent numbers into the uspto web site. 
See what comes up. Weep.

> Is there some patent that covers software in general
> now?  Not that I'd be surprised.

I don't want to know.

In general, reading patents is a bad idea. From what I've heard, it 
just makes you _more_ liable if you saw the patent and (incorrectly) 
figured 'that doesn't apply' or 'that isn't valid.' Only a patent 
lawyer can make those determinations.

Long ago, "the rule of law" was the motto societies organized around; 
now it seems to be "the rule of lawyers." Pity. Where's Dick when you 
need him?[0]



[0]: King Henry the Sixth, Part 2, Act 4, Scene 2