clement@opus.cs.mcgill.ca (Clement Pellerin) (10/11/90)
In article <10656@goofy.Apple.COM> escher@Apple.COM (Michael Crawford) writes: >There is another problem. I understand one of those fellows, Ritchey I >think, has patented the setuid bit, so one would have to license the bit >to have any security systems work as under normal unix. I don't know how >this would interact with the case mentioned above. This patent is rather old. How long does it take for a patent like this to expire in the states? -- news <clement Clement Pellerin, McGill University, Montreal, Canada clement@cs.mcgill.ca
boykin@encore.com (Joseph Boykin) (10/11/90)
In article <2371@opus.cs.mcgill.ca>, clement@opus.cs.mcgill.ca (Clement Pellerin) writes: > >There is another problem. I understand one of those fellows, Ritchey I > >think, has patented the setuid bit, so one would have to license the bit > >to have any security systems work as under normal unix. > > This patent is rather old. Some time ago AT&T gave up rights to this particular patent, thereby placing the UNIX(tm) "setuid technology" in the public domain. jb ---- Joseph Boykin Manager, Mach OS Development Encore Computer Corp Treasurer, IEEE Computer Society Internet: boykin@encore.com Phone: 508-460-0500 x2720
chet@cwns1.INS.CWRU.Edu (Chet Ramey) (10/12/90)
$$ escher@Apple.COM (Michael Crawford) writes:
$$ There is another problem. I understand one of those fellows, Ritchey I
$$ think, has patented the setuid bit, so one would have to license the bit
$$ to have any security systems work as under normal unix. I don't know how
$$ this would interact with the case mentioned above.
and Clement Pellerin replies:
$ This patent is rather old.
$ How long does it take for a patent like this to expire in the states?
It's a non-issue, at least in this case. AT&T officially announced long
ago that they were giving the patent up into the public domain (I forget
the correct term).
Chet
--
Chet Ramey ``As I recall, Doug was keen on boxing. But
Network Services Group when he learned to walk, he took up puttin'
Case Western Reserve University the boot in the groin.''
chet@ins.CWRU.Edulyndon@cs.athabascau.ca (Lyndon Nerenberg) (10/12/90)
clement@opus.cs.mcgill.ca (Clement Pellerin) writes: >In article <10656@goofy.Apple.COM> escher@Apple.COM (Michael Crawford) writes: >>There is another problem. I understand one of those fellows, Ritchey I >>think, has patented the setuid bit, so one would have to license the bit >>to have any security systems work as under normal unix. I don't know how >>this would interact with the case mentioned above. Patent rights on this were released into the public domain (don't know the legal term) by DMR and AT&T some years ago. -- Lyndon Nerenberg VE6BBM / Computing Services / Athabasca University {alberta,cbmvax,mips}!atha!lyndon || lyndon@cs.athabascau.ca The only thing open about OSF is their mouth. --Chuck Musciano
root@cca.ucsf.edu (Systems Staff) (10/12/90)
In article <2371@opus.cs.mcgill.ca>, clement@opus.cs.mcgill.ca (Clement Pellerin) writes: > In article <10656@goofy.Apple.COM> escher@Apple.COM (Michael Crawford) writes: > >There is another problem. I understand one of those fellows, Ritchey I > >think, has patented the setuid bit, so one would have to license the bit > >to have any security systems work as under normal unix. I don't know how > >this would interact with the case mentioned above. > > This patent is rather old. > How long does it take for a patent like this to expire in the states? It doesn't matter; the patent has been abandoned formally (the jargon is, I believe, "dedicated to the public" and the detailed reference has been posted many times to the net. Thos Sumner Internet: thos@cca.ucsf.edu (The I.G.) UUCP: ...ucbvax!ucsfcgl!cca.ucsf!thos BITNET: thos@ucsfcca U.S. Mail: Thos Sumner, Computer Center, Rm U-76, UCSF San Francisco, CA 94143-0704 USA I hear nothing in life is certain but death and taxes -- and they're working on death. #include <disclaimer.std>
rees@pisa.ifs.umich.edu (Jim Rees) (10/16/90)
In article <3198@ucsfcca.ucsf.edu>, root@cca.ucsf.edu (Systems Staff) writes:
It doesn't matter; the patent has been abandoned formally (the
jargon is, I believe, "dedicated to the public" and the detailed
reference has been posted many times to the net.
I looked into this about five years ago when Apollo started shipping systems
with setuid bits and no AT&T license. The patent is #4,135,240, issued
January 16, 1979. It has been "dedicated to the public." You can get
details from AT&T's patent department, which used to be at 150 JFK Parkway,
Short Hills, NJ 07078.