Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Interesting read on modelling instruments
From: Michael J McGonagle (fndsnd_AT_rcnchicago.com)
Date: Fri Apr 12 2002 - 05:32:47 EEST
xk wrote:
>
> However, I wonder what will be the fate of Linux. What if Microsoft pattents
> the way to do multithreading for example? Or they could look into Linux
> code, patent something from there and afterwards pretend that they have
> developed yet.
Prior Art!!! Even if they were to try to patent any part of the Linux
Kernel (where multithreading happens), they would be found-out so
quickly. Someone would probably reverse engineer their stuff to find out
why all of a sudden, Windows no longer crashes!!!
Microsoft tried to do this with Kermit several years ago, the added a
single element to the standard and then they tried to patent the
documentation. The means that they used to distribute the package was as
a Windows Executable, thus tryying to protect "their" work. Someone had
dearchived the files and posted them on SlashDot. Microsoft appearently
tried to get them to remove the documents, but seeing as how they were
things that were pretty much in public usage (I don't know if Kermit was
in the Public Domain or not).
Anyway, they are doing this. They do it now with HTML thru IE by adding
non-standard tags, thus requiring you use IE to be able to view the
content.
>
> The bright side is that the Linux comunity could do that as well.
I am sure that Microsoft is quietly waiting for the day when one Open
Source company sues another. Maybe they are even setting up their own
'front' company to do just this. If they could somehow tie up the Linux
Code in litigation, they could conceivably stop Linux (however
unlikely).
Mike
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