Newsgroups: comp.compression
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!dewinter
From: dewinter@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca (Jack a.k.a. Wildside)
Subject: Question about patents and copyrights on algorithms...
Message-ID: <1991Apr14.150509.1755@watserv1.waterloo.edu>
Sender: dewinter@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Jack a.k.a. Wildside)
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1991 15:05:09 GMT
Lines: 20

If this sounds like a stupid question to some people out there, please bear
with me.  However, what I am wondering is very important to programmers out
there in net-land.  

If a algorithm is patented or copyrighted, how much of the algorithm are
programmers able to use?  Can we create a version of the algorithm that does
not have the neat tricks outlined in the source where we got it from, or are
we forced to come up with our own nifty tricks?  I.E. If patented/copyrighted,
how can we use the algorithm?

On a similar note, if we cannot use any aspect of the algorithm, why do people
copyright it in the first place?  I guess this is a question regarding formats
like LZW which is embedded into the GIF specification.

Any answers would be greatly appreciated,
-- 
Jack a.k.a. Wildside   ... 2nd regeneration of a Time Lord
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	"But that's not decent"
	"I am a pirate, I don't do decency!" - Don Carnage