Re: [Mesa3d-dev] GLU tessellator (was something completely OT)

[Allen A. <ak...@po...>]

On Tue, Jun 27, 2000 at 09:21:35AM -0500, Stephen J Baker wrote:
| 
| ...I don't think anyone is every *likely* to want to put GLU
| into hardware ...

Although at one time HP shipped a machine that accelerated trimmed
NURBS, so it's possible.  (Unlikely anytime soon, I agree.)

|              ...that clause is almost certainly intended to
| apply only to the core GL functions.  I don't know whether
| Debian's guidelines require authors to grant permission for
| hardware implementations of the code...

I think the clause is there to avoid liability for contributory
infringement -- the notion that if an OpenGL feature leads someone to
develop hardware that infringes on a patent held by a third party,
then SGI (as the OpenGL licensor) won't be subject to suit by the
third party for contributing to the infringement of the patent.

Don't know what the Debian folks think about this.  Personally, I
don't think it's a big deal.  Anytime someone wants to ship hardware
they have to deal with the possibility that they might infringe on
someone's patents.  All the clause does is take SGI out of the loop in
such cases.

Allen