Slashdot Mirror
Winelib Hobbled by Exception-Handling Patent
davidwr writes "UKBuilder.com reports that Borland's structured exception handling (SEH) patent affects Winelib. Winelib allows you to compile Windows-targeted code to run natively on Linux. Because of the patent, gcc does not include support for SEH, which is widely used in the MS-Windows world. There are workarounds, but you won't like them."
Again, I hate software patents. There's no point.
Most of what you'd want to protect is covered by copyright. If it can't be covered by copyright, well, then it's something so basic (like "the dog is big") that it's almost impossible to express something without doing it that way.
Again, this is where the idea of a software patent is stupid. Don't allow people to do things in ways that you really couldn't cover with copyright?
Ok, now I find myself back to the argument that source code is speech, and hence not patentable.
Linux - because it doesn't leave that Steve Ballmer aftertaste.
More likely is that Intel would arrange (ie. throw some money, tech, patent licenses, whatever) at Borland in return for such a thing. Borland doesn't have any motivation to make stack-based SEH available to free x86-targeting compilers [the patent's irrelevant on RISC], but Intel arguably does.
Even worse, this makes it clear that using patent-encumbered software has a genuinely unpleasant viral effect on all your software.
The pro-patent folks will eventually realize that the best solution is to avoid ALL patent-encumbered software COMPLETELY -- and look even more skeptically at all proprietary software, too. This will have the opposite effect of what they had intended.
There is not nearly enough love in the world, but there is far too much trust.
Next, a wave of Slashdotters will hassle Borland to release the patent, or exempt Wine. The objective is worthy, the self-organized social wave of independent activists is meaningful. But the style will most likely be counterproductive.
I recently advised a graphic designer/artist friend whose Flash app (advertising a minor celebrity pool player) drew the ire of an OSS "advocate". They demanded that the Flash movie be replaced with something that didn't require any "closed source" software to use it. My friend and I replied politely with their cost:benefit analysis (>95% of desktops can use Flash), the fact that Flash is an open standard (SWF), and the reality of making choices that can't please everyone, so the best alternative is chosen. The "advocate" devolved into namecalling and refusal to accept any of the designer/artist's reasons as valid. Which not only lost that private argument on facts, but alienated any possiblity of the designer/artist exploring OSS possibilities, as long as reliable old Flash still works.
If you're going to request that Borland release its constraints on Winelib, remember that you catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar. And that invitations to a company to join the OSS "community" makes you an ambassador from your community. Which demands high performance in charm and persuasion, rather than represent the community as a barbarian horde.
--
make install -not war
But I thought the SEH isn't a part of winelib because of this. It's not a question of the code already existing, it hasn't been written yet and can't be written due to this patent.
How do you figure? TFA simply says that gcc can't implement the features because Borland has a patent. This means that people wanting to use Winelib must remove the SEH portions of their code in order for it to compile. This is a story about a shortcoming of gcc and Winelib because so many Windows C++ developers use SEH instead of sticking to standard C++. I see no threat of lawsuit from Borland or any potential for it.
Borland use winelibs in their Linux Delphi/C++ Builder version called Kylix so they don't have to rewrite all the Windows native code.
By suing the Wine folks, they'd shoot themselves in the foot.
Slashdot anagrams to "Sad Sloth"
``As of now.'' Something about your proposal is worrying me, but as of now I can't put my finger on it.
Yes, it's a good, sensible plan for today, but there's this terrible little flaw which keeps it from being a long term solution.
See what I've been reading.
...here's an idea that maybe nobody has tried yet.
Ask them.
Rather than do the collective F/OSS thing and lose our minds about a software patent that's in the way...how about asking Borland if we may write something their patent covers?
Has it at least been tried yet?
Yes, software patents are evil. And yes, exception handling has tons of prior art. And still yes, this is freaking obvious. But still. It's only a problem if they complain, and they're less likely to do so if we just simply do the good manners thing and ask first.
Weaselmancer
rediculous.