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LWN on the Patent Encumbrence of SELinux

Posted by chrisd on from the uh-oh-not-this-again dept.

Anonymous Coward writes "LWN has a story about patents in SELinux. The article says: "Much of the actual work in the implementation of SELinux was done by Secure Computing Corporation (SCC). SCC, in its implementation of SELinux, used a technology that it calls type enforcement. As it turns out, SCC has a patent on this technology." Sigh.

1 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. Opposing views by debrain · · Score: 2, Redundant

    This will be a case of GPL versus Patent law, then. Certainly the patenting and prohibition of distribution and use of SELinux is contrary to the necessity of redistribution and free use stipulated in (and forced adherence to) the GPL.

    How does the GPL interact with patents? GPL is a copyright (copyleft) law, whereas patents are an exclusive monopoly. How does one separate them?

    Certainly, given the code, we (by "we", I mean "you" the kernel hacker ... heh) could remove all references to this type checking, or better still, extend it into a derivative patent. The power of the GPL, even should it prove impotent in protecting us against unwanted patent license remuneration, still gives us the power to remove that Patented material and continue in our merry way.