Real-time patent problem discussion summary

[Karim Yaghmour <karim@opersys.com>]

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

===================================================
                 Karim Yaghmour
               karim@opersys.com
      Embedded and Real-Time Linux Expert
===================================================