Messages in this thread | | | Date | Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:03:49 -0600 | From | "Jeffrey V. Merkey" <> | Subject | Re: Versioning file system |
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Jan Harkes wrote:
>On Sat, Jun 16, 2007 at 04:12:14AM -0600, Jeffrey V. Merkey wrote: > > >>Jeffrey V. Merkey wrote: >> >> >>>over). There's also another patent filed as well. It's a noble >>>effort to do a free version, but be aware there's some big guns with >>>patents out there already, not to mention doing this is complex beyond >>>belief. >>> >>> >>I reviewed your sample implementation, and it appears to infringe 3 >>patents already. You should do some research on this. ~~~~ >> >> > >First of all, you are responding to someone in the UK, I thought they >didn't even have software patents over there. Second, I didn't see any >implementation, just a high level description. Finally advising anyone >(who is not an actual patent lawyer that could correctly interpret the >language and scope of a patent) to go search out patents seems pretty >bad advice. That can only result in not even attempting to research some >potentially new and innovative approach. > >Researching prior published work in the area is considerably more >helpful. Especially when something is complex beyond belief it has >probably attracted various researchers over time and there are most >likely various different solutions that have been explored previously. >Such existing work can form a good basis for further work. > >Finally, even if there are patents they could be too limited in scope, >overly broad, can be invalidated due to prior art. It may also be >possible that a patent holder has no problem granting a royalty free >license for a GPL licensed implementation. > >Jan > > > > When you get into the recycling issues with storage, the patents come into play. Also, using the file name to reference revisions is already the subject of a patent previously filed (I no longer own the patent, I sold them to Canopy). There is a third one about to be issued.
The patents are: * 6,862,609 **6,795,895
and this one about to be issued:
http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/fetch.jsp?LANG=ENG&DBSELECT=PCT&SERVER_TYPE=19&SORT=1211506-KEY&TYPE_FIELD=256&IDB=0&IDOC=1205953&C=10&ELEMENT_SET=IA,WO,TTL-EN&RESULT=1&TOTAL=3&START=1&DISP=25&FORM=SEP-0/HITNUM,B-ENG,DP,MC,PA,ABSUM-ENG&SEARCH_IA=US2005045566&QUERY=%28IN%2fmerkey%29+
The last one was filed with WIPO and has international protection, UK included.
Jeff
*
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