Ethereal-dev: RE: [Ethereal-dev] Request: Change the allowed license of plugins

Note: This archive is from the project's previous web site, ethereal.com. This list is no longer active.

Date Index Thread Index Other Months All Mailing Lists
Date Prev Date Next Thread Prev Thread Next
From: ddutt@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 23:41:18 -0800
Hi Graham,

You cover a case that is applicable i.e. releasing information for a patent in
submission. However, even if the patent were granted, by releasing the source
code as GPL, the opinion of some lawyers is that the patent maybe invalidated. 

Dinesh
Graham Bloice writes:
 > > It is not the writing of the decoder of a protocol that is the
 > > problem. It is
 > > its release under GPL and its effect on patent invalidation that is the
 > > problem.
 > >
 > 
 > AFAIK this is a confusion between patents and trademarks.  A patent can not
 > be invalidated by not pursuing infringers, whereas a trademark can.
 > 
 > I just don't see the problem for granted patents, but I do see a problem for
 > patents currently in submission.  In this case though shouldn't the patent
 > owner then be extremely careful not to let information leak out as their
 > patent could be invalidated by prior art.
 > 
 > Regards,
 > 
 > Graham Bloice
 > 
 > 
 > _______________________________________________
 > Ethereal-dev mailing list
 > Ethereal-dev@xxxxxxxxxxxx
 > http://www.ethereal.com/mailman/listinfo/ethereal-dev

-- 
Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.
                                           - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe