Theo de Raadt wrote:
Why do some people feel the need to make up utter bullshit defences for the vendors, when there is not one ounce of fact to back it up? Why?
I think that might be my fault. When I ASKED earlier this month if it was a possible excuse, it might have been picked up and run with as a theory. I looked at some of the docs that people forwarded to me and it seems unlikely that said documentation could actually make a patent case any stronger. I should have closed off the thread by saying as much.
Anyone who read the full thread and followed through to the example docs should have come to the conclusion that it was a bad hypothesis.
A hypothesis labeled as a theory only does harm. This hypothesis has been proven incorrect, which makes it even worse to label it a theory. If people accept this 'theory' as credible, and if Intel neither confirms or denies it, then people will accept it as a valid excuse for why Intel doesn't release docs. We shouldn't be making excuses for Intel. Trying to use it as a tool to shame Intel about their bad behaviour will not work. A corporation does not feel anything, let alone shame.
So, to bring this topic to rest: the example hardware documentation which was linked in a previous thread DOES NOT INDICATE that such documentation could be used to bring lawsuits against a company. Such documentation as I have seen only shows how to utilize the hardware. It does not disclose how the intellectual property is implemented, which is what would be required to bring a lawsuit. People who say otherwise have failed to do their homework, or they are liars.
I regret bringing up this topic in the first place. In the future I will try to be more clear that I am asking a question, not forwarding theories, and I will follow through to the thread conclusion with the results of the question.
There are no valid reasons for Intel requiring NDAs for their hardware documentation. Every single theory and excuse has been proven incorrect. Until Intel provides such documentation they deserve only our contempt, and to have our dollars flow to the competition.
Breeno
