Tim: >> I think you'll find patents are a manufacturing, not end-user, thing. >> The builder of *some* *thing* is disallowed from building something that >> infringes someone else's patent, unless some arrangement is made. It's >> too late by the time a customer has their hot little mitts on the >> widget. Dave Mitchell: > Um no; patents cover everyone - manufacturers, distributors and > end-users - hence the MS/Novell covenant not to sue *end users*. It > just so happens that its the manufacturers who tend to get sued > because that's where the money is. I have any number of patented devices around the house, which no obligations are made upon me to use them. There is no way to do so, anyway. Patents are about design, not use, whatever the FUD certain companies might like to spread around. -- (This box runs FC5, my others run FC4 & FC6, in case that's important to the thread.) Don't send private replies to my address, the mailbox is ignored. I read messages from the public lists.
