You picked a bad example.:) Most Wal-Mart stores only carry the IBM PC Cam (which is not made or supported by IBM) which just happens to be supported pretty decently on linux (modprobe ibmcam if you don't have hotplug enabled). Better webcams, however, are a different story.
Legal issue - Red Hat is redistributable. The license terms for MP3 do not allow that. However, since the "free" exemption is still there I would expect at least the download editions to get the decoders restored.
As for jumping on Red Hat - which Linux distro do you know of that either a) never shipped mp3 decoders or b) paid the license fee and restricted redistribution?
No - I don't use Red Hat - I just don't agree with sniping.
That's why software patents are stupid - in most cases they don't qualify for the "nonobvious" clause. Any reasonably competent developer trying to solve the same problem would come up with a similar algorithm (assuming it's a good one - you can patent all the bad ones you want).
For example, MS could very easily steal open source software, and if we tried to take them to court on it (assuming we had the money to do so) they could easily say "We never saw this GPL, we were not required to accept it, and we don't..." And they would be off the hook.
Wrong - without the GPL it would be illegal for them to copy it AT ALL. Copyright protection is automatic - you wrote it, it's yours. MS needs permission to copy it, which is what the GPL gives - it just specifies the conditions that the permission is granted under.
Econuts have been announcing the Earth's imminent demise forever. In the sixites there were TONS of these "scientific" reports proving the earth was gonna be dead before 2000.
where you used it, you're infringing. When I come up with 'neat' solutions for my customers, those solutions belong to them, not me. If I can't create a new solution without using a significant amount of an old one, I reject the assignment and suggest someone else for it. If I even THINK I might be accidentally reusing IP, I back off. The risk to the customer is too great to play "maybe it won't be noticed" games. This doesn't mean i agree that the first customer should have exclusive rights, only that I recognize the way things work in the real world.
WalMart doesn't provide support for anything they sell. Typically, there's a card in the box that you use to register with the source company (in this case, MandrakeSoft) to get support. I would assume the same practice would be followed here.
Mandrake's download edition is intended to be 100% OpenSource. BSD and/or GPL. If you find something on it that isn't, contact them - it was an oversight.
Highly unlikely that they can identify an mp3 by sig - all you have to do to change the sig is record a millisecond more or less of the hiss between tracks and the sig is different. Most likely they extract it back to a wav and look for a sig there, which should work assuming the mp3 was a decent rip.
Big corps will have to actually show that their patent applies. The previous method was a burden on the sometimes "little" guy who had to prove that the patent didn't apply, which could get quite expensive.
We already know that - we also know that it ISN'T $18 worth of "behind the scenes". Take a look at the major CD producer's books - they are making an incredible profit for what they put in. The ones doing the work are not.
Depends on the sensitivity of the data. If it's valuable enough and likely to be sought-after, like defense contractors and such, 2 weeks is reasonable.
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You picked a bad example. :) Most Wal-Mart stores only carry the IBM PC Cam (which is not made or supported by IBM) which just happens to be supported pretty decently on linux (modprobe ibmcam if you don't have hotplug enabled).
Better webcams, however, are a different story.
But who is qualified to determine which minds need protection? (Excluding children - that's a different argument)
Legal issue - Red Hat is redistributable. The license terms for MP3 do not allow that. However, since the "free" exemption is still there I would expect at least the download editions to get the decoders restored.
As for jumping on Red Hat - which Linux distro do you know of that either a) never shipped mp3 decoders or b) paid the license fee and restricted redistribution?
No - I don't use Red Hat - I just don't agree with sniping.
That's why software patents are stupid - in most cases they don't qualify for the "nonobvious" clause. Any reasonably competent developer trying to solve the same problem would come up with a similar algorithm (assuming it's a good one - you can patent all the bad ones you want).
Patents don't work that way - MS would have to sue claiming a specific infringement. No one has to "prove that he's not infringing on anyone".
And violates the standard. Can't access a variable more than once between sequence points.
It's redundant because it's stating the obvious.
For example, MS could very easily steal open source software, and if we tried to take them to court on it (assuming we had the money to do so) they could easily say "We never saw this GPL, we were not required to accept it, and we don't..." And they would be off the hook.
Wrong - without the GPL it would be illegal for them to copy it AT ALL. Copyright protection is automatic - you wrote it, it's yours. MS needs permission to copy it, which is what the GPL gives - it just specifies the conditions that the permission is granted under.
Econuts have been announcing the Earth's imminent demise forever. In the sixites there were TONS of these "scientific" reports proving the earth was gonna be dead before 2000.
We're still here.
In this country, you ARE innocent until proven guilty. Once acquitted, as far as the public and government are concerned, you're innocent.
where you used it, you're infringing. When I come up with 'neat' solutions for my customers, those solutions belong to them, not me. If I can't create a new solution without using a significant amount of an old one, I reject the assignment and suggest someone else for it. If I even THINK I might be accidentally reusing IP, I back off. The risk to the customer is too great to play "maybe it won't be noticed" games.
This doesn't mean i agree that the first customer should have exclusive rights, only that I recognize the way things work in the real world.
WalMart doesn't provide support for anything they sell. Typically, there's a card in the box that you use to register with the source company (in this case, MandrakeSoft) to get support. I would assume the same practice would be followed here.
Mandrake's download edition is intended to be 100% OpenSource. BSD and/or GPL. If you find something on it that isn't, contact them - it was an oversight.
Highly unlikely that they can identify an mp3 by sig - all you have to do to change the sig is record a millisecond more or less of the hiss between tracks and the sig is different.
Most likely they extract it back to a wav and look for a sig there, which should work assuming the mp3 was a decent rip.
Big corps will have to actually show that their patent applies. The previous method was a burden on the sometimes "little" guy who had to prove that the patent didn't apply, which could get quite expensive.
Lets see... Send some of the best coffee beans on the earth... I always had bad coffee.
Gevalia subscription - good coffee delivered monthly (or as frequently as you want it).
We already know that - we also know that it ISN'T $18 worth of "behind the scenes". Take a look at the major CD producer's books - they are making an incredible profit for what they put in.
The ones doing the work are not.
Depends on the sensitivity of the data.
If it's valuable enough and likely to be sought-after, like defense contractors and such, 2 weeks is reasonable.