From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (qmail 25418 invoked by alias); 13 Aug 2010 07:56:34 -0000 Received: (qmail 25407 invoked by uid 22791); 13 Aug 2010 07:56:33 -0000 X-SWARE-Spam-Status: No, hits=2.6 required=5.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_95,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE,SPF_HELO_PASS X-Spam-Check-By: sourceware.org Received: from moutng.kundenserver.de (HELO moutng.kundenserver.de) (212.227.17.8) by sourceware.org (qpsmtpd/0.43rc1) with ESMTP; Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:56:28 +0000 Received: from igor (brln-4dba1936.pool.mediaWays.net [77.186.25.54]) by mrelayeu.kundenserver.de (node=mrbap2) with ESMTP (Nemesis) id 0MKLPq-1OjHA731fi-001Kjx; Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:56:25 +0200 Message-ID: <53EE6DB2F971468D9FEEC38287F36875@igor> Reply-To: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Martin_Schr=F6der?= From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Martin_Schr=F6der?= To: References: <215382.96867.qm@web112514.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> <4C64D224.1030001@adacore.com> <350785.50982.qm@web112515.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Subject: Re: generic query regarding GPL and licensing terms associated with gdb Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:56:00 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Mailing-List: contact gdb-help@sourceware.org; run by ezmlm Precedence: bulk List-Id: List-Subscribe: List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: , Sender: gdb-owner@sourceware.org X-SW-Source: 2010-08/txt/msg00078.txt.bz2 paawan oza wrote: > If I understood correctly, > > -> if the idea is patented by the organization then it may not be > discussed. I am not a lawyer, but I think that the contrary is true. As soon as the idea is patented, you're absolutely free to discuss it in whatever detail you desire. Of course, you should at least mention that the idea is patented. I mean, that's the whole purpose of patenting: To open up the implementation details to allow the progress of science, while ensuring that you still get money for it. A patent is simply a trade where the state offers full protection of the law that the methods described in the patent were invented by you and all they demand back is that you get rid of the trade secrets therein and open up the methods for science to exploit. And if they expand upon it, they can either pay your licensing fees, sell it to you, or wait till the patent expires. > -> if idea is not patented but implemented under GPL (which uses and > modifies original gdb source code), then it can be discussed. Yup. If you can freely get the source code, you can freely talk about its details. After all, whatever the source makes the machine do, can also be emulated inside the human brain. ;) > -> that means organization has no way to claim the idea legally in > any terms That's the point of patenting (claiming that you invented it), and the reason why patents should only be awarded for actual manufacturing processes instead of ideas or concepts. And some argue that software is nothing but concepts and ideas. ;) Apart from that, there's pretty much only "prior art". If they can prove that they had the idea first, the same idea becomes difficult to patent. Of course, you can still use and sell it, but you run the risk of the original implementor eventually patenting the process. Just my two cents, Martin.