xorg patent issues.

[Greg KH]

On Thu, Oct 01, 2009 at 04:21:07PM -0400, Zack Rusin wrote:
> On Thursday 01 October 2009 14:13:15 Greg KH wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > As discussed at XDC2009 in your talk about patents and xorg, I talked
> > with the Linux Foundation's Technical Advisory board about the issues
> > your raised in your talk.
> > 
> > I have a contact at the LF and OIN to put you in contact with, but
> > wanted to ask if there was anyone else that wanted in on the email
> > thread and possible phone call (lawyers love phone calls, not email...)
> > 
> > Anyone else want in on the fun?
> 
> I don't know what patent issues you were discussing but I'm guessing it's 
> mainly about the floating point plus s3tc stuff.

Yes, that is what was discussed.

> Just so that you know, we have been trying to handle this in some way
> for a long time and a few lawyers was already involved in the process.
> Given that, especially the first one, is explicit in its prohibition
> of open source, short of buying it as a company I'm not sure what
> Linux Foundation wants to do. Either way though, Brian is the person
> to talk to about options here because he's been endlessly trying to
> come up with ways of dealing with those problems.

Ok, great.  Brian, care to talk to OIN and the Linux Foundation about
this?

And yes, OIN does buy patents, they just got a few that used to be owned
by SGI that deal with graphic issues so there is precedence here.

thanks,

greg k-h