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Re: Unisys patent


On Fri, 20 Jun 2003, Charles Wilson wrote:

> Elfyn McBratney wrote:
> > I posted a reply to this earlier but it's just not my day for "doing things
> > right". I shouldn't publicise my bad language skills, should I?! :-)
> >
> >   Please don't do this. From tomorrow the Unisys LZW patent will be defunct in
> >   the US, and again a day later in Canada. That still leaves serveral countries
> >   in Europe and Japan who have to wait a year (18/20 June 2004 IIRC) before
> >   being able to use it.
> >
> >   Putting this or any other LZW-aware software on the Cygwin mirror system is a
> >   seriously bad idea. We have mirror's in most if not all of the above
> >   countries and if they distribute LZW-aware software they're in violation of
> >   their countries patent laws. Same for Joe Hacker who downloads it, too.
> >
>
> Sorry, I honestly didn't realize that any other country was STUPID
> enough to allow a patent on this blindingly obvious algorithm which had
> TONS of prior art at the time it was submitted.  (Have you looked at it?
> It's like, 40 lines of fairly simple code)

I'm not very coherent when I'm ill :-) It's not personal. I know how simple
it is, too ;-) But the second this lands on a UK mirror (for example) that
provider is infringing patent laws...

> Silly me.  It seems every country's patent office is staffed by drooling
> imbeciles.

As promised in our manifestos! :-)

> Oh well -- less work for me.
>
> --
> Chuck
>
>

Elfyn

-- 
Elfyn McBratney
Systems Administrator
ABCtales.com / Ubertales.co.uk

Show us yer bulk: biteme@is.ubertales.co.uk


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