Re: new special filesystem for consideration in 2.6/2.7

[Tim Bird <tim.bird@am.sony.com>]

Mike Fedyk wrote:
> Steve Longerbeam wrote:
>> Dave Jones wrote:
>>> Without commenting on the code, the biggest thing holding back
>>> inclusion of this is likely the comment about there likely being
>>> patents held on parts of that code.
>>
>> Dave, true MV has a patent pending, but it would only affect any 
>> future use
>> of the technology in a _non GPL_ operating system. Used in Linux or any
>> future GPL software, no patent licenses or royalties are involved at all.
> 
> A statement in legal terms should be in the patch.

This statement is in a comment at the top of every file in
the patch:

  * This software is being distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public
  * License version 2.  Some or all of the technology encompassed by this
  * software may be subject to one or more patents pending as of the date of
  * this notice.  No additional patent license will be required for GPL
  * implementations of the technology.  If you want to create a non-GPL
  * implementation of the technology encompassed by this software, please
  * contact legal@mvista.com for details including licensing terms and fees.

I believe that this meets any required legal criteria for unencumbered
use in the Linux kernel (or other GPL projects).

=============================
Tim Bird
Architecture Group Co-Chair
CE Linux Forum
Senior Staff Engineer
Sony Electronics
E-mail: Tim.Bird@am.sony.com
=============================