From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S263228AbTLUO45 (ORCPT ); Sun, 21 Dec 2003 09:56:57 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S263221AbTLUO45 (ORCPT ); Sun, 21 Dec 2003 09:56:57 -0500 Received: from node-d-1fcf.a2000.nl ([62.195.31.207]:642 "EHLO laptop.fenrus.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S262859AbTLUO4z (ORCPT ); Sun, 21 Dec 2003 09:56:55 -0500 Subject: Re: [OT] use of patented algorithms in the kernel ok or not? From: Arjan van de Ven Reply-To: arjanv@redhat.com To: James Morris Cc: Jamie Lokier , Albert Cahalan , linux-kernel mailing list , Linus Torvalds In-Reply-To: References: Content-Type: multipart/signed; micalg=pgp-sha1; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; boundary="=-XJIKwb3CTw9NpBQYgbav" Organization: Red Hat, Inc. Message-Id: <1072018574.5225.5.camel@laptop.fenrus.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Ximian Evolution 1.4.5 (1.4.5-7) Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 15:56:14 +0100 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org --=-XJIKwb3CTw9NpBQYgbav Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > > I expect this was said in jest, but it would be delightful to see this > > done for real. To the best of my knowlege it's uncharted territory, > > so perhaps what you suggest _would_ be upheld in a court of law as > > permissible? > >=20 >=20 > This approach would turn Linux into proprietary software. how so? How is adding speed improvements to the code that may not be allowed in ONE country make linux proprietary? We can't just rip out each and every feature that ANY goverment or country in the world declares illegal/not allowed to be used. CONFIG_USA and the like only provide a hint/helper for those who want to use it in geographies where certain restrictions are imposed by law on what software is allowed to do (without paying third parties that is). Now of course it's a problem if the kernel wouldn't function at all with CONFIG_USA is set (although perfectly ok within the gpl afaics), but for additional performance improvements ? --=-XJIKwb3CTw9NpBQYgbav Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name=signature.asc Content-Description: This is a digitally signed message part -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQA/5bSOxULwo51rQBIRAng2AJ46qfy153E6HBlhB2oggdtwCupctwCePxOX 9OCg4n9PFiXbJDv0rcEn38Q= =mosH -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --=-XJIKwb3CTw9NpBQYgbav--