RE: [pdf-devel] 3D in pdf - any plans?

[Leonard Rosenthol]

Is that comment below concerning patents & GPL really true?   

I certainly understand issues around existing FOSS SOURCE code and the
GPL, but I've never heard ANYONE ever say that a GPL-licensed product
can't implement something that is patented.  Certainly, one would want
to ensure that the licensing for said patent is granted (free, RAND,
etc.) - but just having a patent doesn't violate the GPL, does it?!?!

I am concerned about the truth/validity of this statement, because Adobe
holds standing patents on many parts of PDF that are "core" to the
technology (both in the file format and in the rendering model) that it
licenses royalty-free for the purposes of supporting PDF (See
<http://partners.adobe.com/public/developer/support/topic_legal_notices.
html>) and I would hate to see this project's progress hindered.

Looking forward to clarification.  Thanks in advance!

Leonard


-----Original Message-----
From: address@hidden
[mailto:address@hidden On Behalf Of
Cirilo Bernardo
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 3:31 AM
To: address@hidden
Subject: Re: [pdf-devel] 3D in pdf - any plans?

On Sun, Feb 24, 2008 at 6:05 PM, Michail Vidiassov <address@hidden>
wrote:
> Dear All,
>
>  did anyone take a look at the 3D features that appeared in pdf 1.6
and 1.7?
>  Is there any chance that they will be supported by gnupdf (in however
>  remote the future) or they are not accepted in principle (too
>  vendor-propriate, not inline with the original PDF intent, there are
no 3D
>  people around, etc)?
>

Any patented parts cannot be part of gnupdf, unless of course the
patent owner writes a letter promising to allow the feature to be used
and distributed under the GPL3 etc. for now and in the future,
including the continued protection of that status even if he sold or
transferred the patent through any other means.  Otherwise we have to
wait until the patent lapses.  This, for example, was the problem with
the LZW compression used in earlier PDF specifications; the patents on
LZW have now lapsed so it can now be included.

 It is a peculiar situation since there are conflicting interests
which prevent the entire specification from being implemented for at
least a few more years.

- Cirilo