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Microsoft claim shakes graphics world | |
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| Time: 00:00 EST/05:00 GMT | News Source: ZDNet | Posted By: Robert Stein | ||
|
Thanks Tim. OpenGL, a widely used cross-platform graphics standard, may be subject to more restrictive licensing following recent claims by Microsoft that it owns patents to technology critical to the specification. While it is as yet unclear how Microsoft intends to pursue its claims, the matter underscores the increasing difficulty of creating high-tech industry standards of all kinds, particularly those that are intended to be widely available and royalty-free. The issue is particularly relevant in Europe, which is debating whether to make software more broadly patentable, as is the case in the United States. | ||
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| #1 By 3 (62.253.128.4) at 7/12/2002 2:52:11 AM |
| No - just pushing for everyone to use DirectX. |
| #2 By 2960 (68.100.19.3) at 7/12/2002 8:19:26 AM |
|
I think #2 has hit it.
If MS can control OpenGL, then it can corral companies into using D3D instead. Carmack has just GOT to be loving this.... TL |
| #3 By 6859 (204.71.100.215) at 7/12/2002 8:51:04 AM |
| MS just owns some patents on a piece of new OpenGL code they want to add to the existing OpenGL code, OpenGL can live without it. I bet MS just licenses it at some really low rate and new new and improved OpenGL rolls out without a hitch. Really, this isn't a big deal. Remember, almost every company on the OpenGL board owns a patent on at least one piece or another. |
| #4 By 3339 (65.198.47.10) at 7/12/2002 12:40:37 PM |
| Cthulhu, of course, members of OpenGL own patents, but they also agreed to not attempt to enforce patent rights nor to charge licensing fees. This is both new and old patents -- some being from SGI. This isn't necessarily big unless MS gets a hold of a significant patent, but considering the spirit and record of OpenGL, even if MS decides on the smallest licensing fee imaginable the patents will be dropped from OpenGL. If it was an issue of new patents, it wouldn't be an issue--it simply wouldn't be included. If MS really pushes this and/or gets a hold of additional patents, I foresee another lawsuit. |
| #5 By 6859 (204.71.100.215) at 7/12/2002 2:12:39 PM |
|
The problem is, we don't know what MS will do. (Damn, I need a crystal ball). MS could do nothing, or they could license it for a fee, or they could just dissalow any use whatsoever.
We just have to see. |
| #6 By 3339 (65.198.47.10) at 7/12/2002 4:04:54 PM |
| Cthulhu, the issue is less with MS--clearly they are trying to make more money and/or damage OpenGL--the question is the response from OpenGL. Surely, OpenGL ARB has had some patent issues in the past, but no one has ever reached the point where licenses were charged--however minimal the fee. |
| #7 By 3339 (65.198.47.10) at 7/12/2002 5:25:39 PM |
| By the way, so far it appears that MS is leaning towards demanding a patent exchange instead of licensing fees... This is scary and ugly. Unfortunately, some in the OGL ARB may not realize this and find it a cheaper or better alternative to paying or simply dropping the patents from the spec. However, companies like Apple and InterTrust and many others can attest to how costly MS can make these 1:1 patent exchanges for a competitor. My advice to the group is to boot the patents out or try to develop a lawsuit against MS... of course, I don't want to jump the gun and doom and gloom--hopefully, this can be resolved appropriately. |
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