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From: hollaar@utah-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: patent on the SUID bit
Message-ID: <4302@utah-cs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Feb-87 17:01:53 EST
Article-I.D.: utah-cs.4302
Posted: Tue Feb 17 17:01:53 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Feb-87 20:57:42 EST
References: <43103@beno.seismo.CSS.GOV>
Reply-To: hollaar@utah-cs.UUCP (Lee Hollaar)
Distribution: world
Organization: University of Utah CS Dept
Lines: 10
Keywords: SUID bit

United States Patent 4,135,240 ("Protection of Data File Contents") was issued
to Dennis Richie on January 16, 1979, and assigned by him (probably for the
infamous "patent dollar") to Bell Labs.  It indeed prevents anyone from using
the suid bit, or anything else resembling the suid bit that matches any of the
four claims used in the patent, without permission of Bell Labs.

However, the patent was "dedicated to the public" on November 28, 1979, so
anyone can now use the suid bit without special license or permission of Bell
Labs.  (See the Patent Office Official Gazette, 991 OG 11.)  Essentially, it's
patented, but everybody has a no-cost license.