Fwd: Dailymotion for XO laptop

[M. Edward (Ed) Borasky]

tridge at samba.org wrote:

> The other option is to write implementations of the codecs that avoid
> the patents. Whether that is possible depends on the exact wording of
> the patent, and sometimes it takes a few weeks working with a good
> patent attorney to work out exactly what the patent really
> says. Sometimes it just isn't possible.
> 
> We really need a open project to do patent analysis of this kind and
> determine which of these key patents (not just codecs, but also other
> important blocking patents) can be avoided, and which ones are too
> tied to the format to avoid. Perhaps the OLPC project would provide a
> good bit of motivation for people to do this type of work?

1. There are two kinds of "good patent attorneys". One kind works "pro 
bono" for free software and the other gets paid big bucks by patent 
holders. It's not just a question of quality or attorney or length of 
time spent. It's a question of two competing sides of a specific and 
very detailed technical and legal argument being thrashed out in the 
press and in the courts. If you head to the Groklaw web site, you can 
see this sort of thing (from the free software side). This process does 
not take a few weeks but *decades*.

2. I personally don't think the OLPC project has the bandwidth or the 
energy to get involved in such a struggle. As the recent events between 
OLPC and Intel have showed, when you wrestle with a pig, both of you get 
mud all over but only the pig enjoys it. :)