On Sep 14, 2007, at 2:58 PM, Geoffrey Hutchison wrote:
>>> I would assume that there is a patent on the SPE algorithm and
>>> its application. Does this affect smi23d?
>>
>> We have been in contact with Dimitris Agrafiotis (who is the
>> author of the SPE algorithm as well as named on the patent for SPE
>> - US patent 6,571,227.
>>
>> He has stated that we are free to use the algorithm in smi23d.
>
> Wait, that seems like a strange statement. In theory, smi23d is
> open source, right? If I take that statement literally, the patent
> author has *not* given permission to use SPE in any derived
> products from smi23d.
>
> Software patents become a really tricky subject with open source
> software. Did Dimitris clear the use of SPE in any open source code
> using smi23d's implementation?
There has been a misunderstanding on my part and in fact Dimitris has
not publically stated that 'we are free to use the algorithm in smi23d'.
Basically this means there is no clear resolution to the issue of
smi23d and patents.
I was hasty in my mail to CCL and didn't quite think things through.
I'll be sending another message to CCL in a bit.
Sheesh, and all we did was implement an algorithm from a paper :(
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Rajarshi Guha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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-- P. Erdos
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