[vorbis] Fraunhoffer claims patents on other formats

[Freya]

Here in the uk, to get a patent on anything, you have
to prove that the patent is not obvious and that there
is no prior art.

If there is prior art, then a patent cannot be given,
this is why people patenting stuff have to keep it a
secret until they actually have the patent, otherwise
it is considered to have been released into the public
domain.

Once something is in the public domain, nobody can
patent it.

OTOH I don't think that the u.k recognises software
patents anyway, and I suppose things might be
different worldwide?

I think there might be a lot more variation in patent
law as opposed to copyright law.

I don't think anyone could claim a patent on anything
in Vorbis that they don't already have a patent on.
It's far too publically available.

love

Freya

--- Rich Burroughs <rich at indiepopradio.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 2 Oct 2000, Marshall Eubanks wrote:
> 
> > This does not sound like the way to secure the
> open source movement.
> 
> I disagree completely. It's been my understanding
> that, beyond the
> improvements in technology, the main point of Vorbis
> is to be patent-free
> and open source so we don't have to deal with the
> kind of licenses that
> Fraunhofer is trying to push on people. What if
> iCast were to patent
> Vorbis, and then some bean counter decided that they
> really should be
> making money off this project that they are funding
> the development
> of? What would stop us from ending up as much at
> their mercy as we now are
> to Fraunhofer?
> 
> No thanks. I applaud the folks who started the
> project for making it open
> and patent free, and I hope it stays that way.
> 
> 
> Rich
> 
> 
> 
> 
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