Re: Software-Patents

Enrico Weigelt wrote:

> Hi folks,
> 
> 
> since there are have very strong efforts for legalizing software patents
> in Europe, we should carefully thing about our patent policy.
> 
> Do we want to take care of them or simply ignore this probem ?
> If we would, we have to design around them (this also would mean 
> not any thought of compatibility w/ DirectShow, etc). It will be a very 
> hard and not 100% solvable job, since we cant really know whats patented,
> until an patent owner files a lawsuit against us.

If you look at the Xiph example, you'll see that they have minored their 
claim of being patent-free. Because to do that it requires a lot of 
money and time to investigate on existing patents, or voiding some with 
prior art. It is simply impossible for a (small to medium) open source 
project to know all patents and get around them. So my point is "ignore it".