Real-time patent problem discussion summary
Given that the real-time patent problem discussion has taken a life of its own and that there are a very large number of messages on the subject, I take this opportunity to summarize.
Responding to a message by Andrea, I pointed out that the rtlinux patent was indeed a show-stopper for Linux in its deployment in embedded/rt applications.
I, and many others, detailed this claim in response to many postings by the various members of this list, including Linus and Larry.
At this point, given Victor's silence and refusal to answer the very questions he had promised to answer and Larry's killfiling of this discussion, the concerns I raised remain in their entirety.
Unfortunately for all the parties involved, this discussion highlights profound political rifts which cannot be solved by a purely technical discussion.
Regardless of the political rifts and disagreeing technical perspectives, the initial problem remains: Linux is not being used in embedded/rt applications because of uncertainties regarding the legal implications of the rtlinux patent.
The fact that Larry chose to direct part of this discussion on matters of copyright ownership in RTAI and RTLinux (
http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-kernel&m=102235915105756&w=2)
and the ensuing deluge of postings on this matter, changes nothing to Linux's lack of viability in the embedded/rt world (as I pointed out later:
http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-kernel&m=102239453820847&w=2)
I would also like to reiterate my lack of enthusiasm of having to undertake this task of pointing out a serious problem with Linux. There was no glory in this, but a problem is a problem and it must pointed pointed out for what it is.
I hope that my intervention will have stirred some interest to this problem and I hope that this interest will eventually result, in some way, in Linux freeing itself from the current limitations imposed by this patent.
Best regards,
Karim
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Karim Yaghmour
[email protected]
Embedded and Real-Time Linux Expert
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