From: Jerry Van Baren <gerald.vanbaren_at_smiths-aerospace.com>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 15:22:39 -0400

If another company mimics the features, that is high praise indeed
(imitation is the sincerest form of flattery). The code itself is
protected by copyright laws and made available under GPL license.

Patents are a way for lawyers to take money at everybody else's
expense. Software patents are generally despised by the Open Source community.

IMHO.

gvb


At 11:32 AM 5/20/2003 -0400, ds2list_at_yahoo.com wrote:

>With all the Intellectual Property controversies going on in the
>open-source world right now (SCO vs. Linux/IBM, etc.), I was
>wondering if there is any way to protect innovative features of
>open source projects like Rockbox from idea stealing by companies.
>
>Specifically, I was thinking about my Talkbox patch. I've not seen
>that feature on any other personal mp3 players, and I'd like it to
>stay something that is owned by the Open Source community. Is there
>any way to ensure this. Is there a way of demonstrating "prior art"
>with project like Rockbox, so that a company like Apple/Creative
>would think twice before copying a new Rockbox feature to an I-Pod
>or Nomad? Or is the philosophy of the project to allow this
>kind of "borrowing"? Are unique features of an open-source project
>"patentable" by the project?
>
>-Danan



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Received on 2003-05-20