Re: ARC patent

Jeff Davis wrote:
> 
> > You want scarey --- forget the IBM patent.  Find an Oracle or Microsoft
> > patent that is similar to something in our code.  It will might not be
> > exact, but our ARC isn't exact either.
> > 
> > Basically any organization that wants to produce patent-free code would
> > need one lawyer for every five programmers, and even then it isn't 100%.
> > The method I have heard to find infringement sounds pretty imprecise.
> > 
> > The remedy for patent infringment I think is usually to stop using the
> > patented idea, rather than punitive damages, unlike copyright.
> > 
> 
> Is that for all kinds of patent infringement, or only the
> didn't-know-better kind? Right now I don't think we can claim
> "didn't-know-better".

Didn't know better has no status for patents.  Copyright stuff is pretty
easy to avoid --- just don't copy stuff and you are OK, and most
companies are good at enforcing that part.  

> Also, does "stop" mean stop distributing the patented process, or stop
> using all installations?

Not sure.  The PostgreSQL development group doesn't have installations,
do we?

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