Re: generic query regarding GPL and licensing terms associated with gdb

[Robert Dewar <dewar at adacore dot com>]

Martin Schröder wrote:
> paawan oza wrote:
> > If I understood correctly,
> >
> > -> if the idea is patented by the organization then it may not be
> > discussed.
>
> I am not a lawyer, but I think that the contrary is true. As soon as the 
> idea is patented, you're absolutely free to discuss it in whatever detail 
> you desire. Of course, you should at least mention that the idea is 
> patented.

I was talking from gcc's point of view of what was desirable, not giving
a legal opinion on whether such discussion was legal :-)

> > -> if idea is not patented but implemented under GPL (which uses and
> > modifies original gdb source code), then it can be discussed.
>
> Yup. If you can freely get the source code, you can freely talk about its 
> details. After all, whatever the source makes the machine do, can also be 
> emulated inside the human brain. ;)

This is wrong, see my previous discussion
> > -> that means organization has no way to claim the idea legally in
> > any terms
>
> That's the point of patenting (claiming that you invented it), and the 
> reason why patents should only be awarded for actual manufacturing processes 
> instead of ideas or concepts. And some argue that software is nothing but 
> concepts and ideas. ;)

This is wrong, you can protect things by trade secret, and the fact that
the original base code was obtained under a GPL license does not change
that (in fact it is the GPL license that allows this to be done).