🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2635@zipeecs.umich.edu>, gilgalad@dip.eecs.umich.edu (Ralph Seguin) writes:
>
> I have been watching the discussion about Tetris, copyrighting and patenting.
> While it is true that you cannot patent an idea, I have just encountered
> what appears to be the exception to the rule.  I was going to write an RSA
> cyphering program for the Amiga (PD probably), but I received some messages
> from several people saying that the RSA is patented by a company called RSA

There is no exception here.  RSA has a patent on a specific algorithm, not an
"idea".  The confusion here on the net seems to be in the way different people
define "idea".  I personally agree with the statement "you can't patent an
idea".  It this case the "idea" is something along the lines of "encoding
information so as to be indecypherable to all but selected persons".  Clearly
NOT something that could be patented.  Specific ways of implementing that
idea do seem to be patentable ... however the courts may rule otherwise should
the validity of a patent be challenged.


> patent on the RSA algorithm.  If it is true, it seems painfully apparent
> that the patenting process has some major problems with it (ie, with some
> trickery, you could probably patent breathing 8-)

Supposedly (I do not have 1st hand knowledge of this), some person as a patent
on the use of the xor function, as a means of providing a non-destructive
cursor on terminals.  And while nobody actually believes this would stand up
under a serious challenge in court, nobody has actually done so, as the person
licenses the patent for only $100 to anyone.  Cheaper that *any* legal action
could possibly be.


NOW.  CAN WE PLEASE KEEP THESE DISCUSSIONS OUT OF .TECH and .HARDWARE?  Note
the Followup-To line, and removal of .hw in this response.  THANK YOU!

/kim


[  Any thoughts or opinions which may or may not have been expressed  ]
[  herein are my own.  They are not necessarily those of my employer. ]

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