5 ms·
>why is it bad first to analyze what already exists and to evaluate good / bad sides of that? It's a legal defense strategy. ZFS is covered by multiple patent
by desdiv 10y ago
>why is it bad first to analyze what already exists and to evaluate good / bad sides of that?
It's a legal defense strategy.
ZFS is covered by multiple patents.
If someone who have never read about any of ZFS's designs and patents independently reproduces one of ZFS's patented features, then the courts could rule that that was non-infringement.
That's why the author said of Giampaolo: "...but didn't delve too deeply for fear, he said, of tainting himself". Reading too much about a patented product effectively taints yourself from being able to freely create your own designs.
- prutschman 10y agoIndependent reinvention is not in general a defense to a claim of patent infringement. Is there some fairly specific set of circumstances you're referring to here?
- antod 10y agoNo, but it helps you to avoid the potential treble damages bit for wilful infringement.
- shmerl 10y agoSo you think it's Apple's paranoia? They should blame themselves for contributing to this sick patent climate.
- cm3 10y agoI understand what you're saying, but I also find it funny that Apple would try to avoid patents. If you're saying that Apple is happy to patent stuff but not so much when it comes to using patents by others, maybe you're right. I wish filesystems were more like media codecs in that Apple had no choice but to support an industry standard.