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Does SCO own read-copy-update?

Does SCO own read-copy-update?

Posted Jun 13, 2003 15:08 UTC (Fri) by freeio (guest, #9622)
In reply to: Does SCO own read-copy-update? by StevenCole
Parent article: Does SCO own read-copy-update?

Sequent is now part of IBM, is it not? One has to assume that the Monterey agreements included cross-licensing of patents between SCO and IBM, and so SCO is probably covered in its use of the technique described in the patent.

But then again, since IBM is supporting Linux, there is no problem with Linux using the technique (as opposed to the actual code) either. If IBM contibuted code that used the technique (under GPL) then the technique is OK for that use even if the exact implementation were not.

Marty


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Does SCO own read-copy-update?

Posted Jun 13, 2003 15:25 UTC (Fri) by shahms (subscriber, #8877) [Link]

Of course, even if the Monterey agreements included cross-licensing agreements suing for breach of contract certainly puts them in a dubious position wrt those other agreements. Assuming the Linux RCU code in question was copied from SCO, doesn't the existance of this patent mean that, either way, SCO loses? (I'd pretty much assumed that anyway, even if SCO wins the lawsuit it means they exist as a viable entity for what, another two years?)

If SCO wins the lawsuit on copyright infringement, the RCU code has to be removed from Linux, whoo, it can be rewritten (the GPL doesn't prevent patented algorithms from being used, it just states that the GPL implementation of that algorithm must be "freely redistributable"). But SCO is SOL, given that I don't think IBM is going to say "we just lost a lawsuit to you, so we're feeling inclined to just let you use an algorithm we have a patent on without paying for it" more likely they'll say: "you're free to use the GPL implementation, but if you do, you'd better GPL UnixWare or we'll sue *you* for copyright and patent infringement"

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