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From: grr@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari16,net.micro.amiga,net.micro.68k
Subject: Re: 68000 Memory Managment
Message-ID: <751@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Sep-86 02:20:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.751
Posted: Fri Sep 19 02:20:43 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Sep-86 00:41:17 EDT
References: <508@elmgate.UUCP> <64@mit-prep.ARPA> <510@elmgate.UUCP> <79@mtxinu.UUCP> <462@jc3b21.UUCP>
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 32
Xref: mnetor net.micro.atari16:2004 net.micro.amiga:4730 net.micro.68k:1238

In article <462@jc3b21.UUCP> fgd3@jc3b21.UUCP (Fabbian G. Dufoe) writes:
>Using the untranslated addresses as the RAS addresses and doing the MMU
>address translation before the column addresses are needed for CAS sounds
>pretty general to me.  I am sure the process Andy Bechtolsheim patented is
>quite a bit more specific.  A patent cannot be granted for a general idea.
>It requires a specific implementation of an idea, either in a device or
>process.  Think about it.  Without that provision patents would stifle
>development.  They are intended to do just the opposite.  A patent is
>supposed to protect the inventor of a process from those who would use his
>work as their own.  But it is not supposed to prevent people from using a
>concept the inventor has brought to light in their own inventions, so long
>as they don't plaigiarize from the original work.
>
> Fabbian Dufoe
> UUCP: ...akgua!akguc!codas!peora!ucf-cs!usfvax2!jc3b21!fgd3 

On the other hand, it is normal for a person filing a patent application
to make as broad a claim as he thinks reasonable.  The are a number of
highly irritating patents covering things like mice, pull down windows,
and character generator ROM's.  If you read the patent applications, you
immediately say 'this guy has got to be kidding', but unfortunatly, they
are for real.

It is up to a manufacturer to make sure that they do not use ideas that
are patented.  If Sun chooses to enforce their patent, they could cause
a small operation a lot of pain.  The patent may not seem reaonable, but
it was granted, and until someone invests the neccessary legal time and
money to contest it, it is legally enforcable.
-- 
George Robbins - now working for,	uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|caip}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing	arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV
Commodore, Engineering Department	fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)