PC Pals Forum

Technical Help & Discussion => Apple, Linux & Open Source Software: Help, News & Discussion => Topic started by: sam on November 11, 2009, 23:31

Title: Microsoft Patents Sudo?!!
Post by: sam on November 11, 2009, 23:31

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20091111094923390

Title: Re: Microsoft Patents Sudo?!!
Post by: Simon on November 11, 2009, 23:55

Doesn't that beg the question, why didn't Unix patent it first?

Title: Re: Microsoft Patents Sudo?!!
Post by: sam on November 12, 2009, 00:51

true, but I guess it must be under some form of public usage license...

Title: Re: Microsoft Patents Sudo?!!
Post by: topquark on November 12, 2009, 09:19

Well their patent will never hold up as the orig author/inventor can claim prior art on the main part of sudo's function (unless there is some very unique bit that they've added and have patented that).  :laugh:

Title: Re: Microsoft Patents Sudo?!!
Post by: Simon on November 12, 2009, 10:00

It will be interesting to see how it develops.

Title: Re: Microsoft Patents Sudo?!!
Post by: sam on November 12, 2009, 13:50

Quote from: topquark on November 12, 2009, 09:19

Well their patent will never hold up as the orig author/inventor can claim prior art on the main part of sudo's function (unless there is some very unique bit that they've added and have patented that).  :laugh:

yeah... I guess they are probably patenting some addons - which could have interesting implications - especially given the original work was GPL or whatever... not sure how patents work when its modification to existing work.