[haiku] Re: FreeType patents are expired
- From: Jerry Babione <jerry.babione@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: haiku@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 18:17:28 -0600
On Thu, Dec 1, 2011 at 7:50 AM, Rimas Kudelis <rq@xxxxxx> wrote:
> 2011.12.01 14:42, Jerry Babione rašė:
>
>> 2011/12/1 Rimas Kudelis <rq@xxxxxx <mailto:rq@xxxxxx>>
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>>
>> I'm wondering why subpixel hinting is not enabled by default in
>> Haiku. If i'm reading it correctly[1], the algorithm used by
>> FreeType for that purpose is not patented, and all other
>> FreeType-related patents are expired, so why would Haiku be more
>> afraid than Debian or any other Linux distro?
>>
>> Rimas
>>
>> [1]
>> http://www.freetype.org/**patents.html<http://www.freetype.org/patents.html>
>>
>>
>> Rimas,
>>
>> I'm sure that there are reasons we can't even think of to use the
>> Free-Type algorithms. I can think of several not too. For me, as a
>> developer, I would prefer for the techniques, algorithms, and everything
>> else be fresh and new. I realize we are a re-implementation at Haiku. There
>> is also much that is new. The point is, when others come at Haiku with any
>> infringement type questions; I would wish that there be NO validity in the
>> claims. I know what a tall order that is. So do you.
>>
>
> Hi Jerry,
> I'm not sure I'm following you, but AFAIK, validity of infringement claims
> is justified by how you did something, not by whether or not you did that
> completely on your own. All in all, I don't think your email answered my
> question. Stephan's did however.
>
> Regards,
> Rimas
>
>
Rimas,
I understand. I've fought two such law suites in the 30+ years I've been
writing software. I learned that even independent development is not
always safe. What I know today, is not too study the methods that others
used to create their software. Imitation can cause a trip to court.
Sometimes re-inventing the wheel saves a lot of money,
--
Jerry Babione
Founder-Just Plain Folks Org. Inc.
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