tlug: OpenSSL and Crypto patents

["Austin K. Kurahone" <austin@example.com>]

Hi,

I've taken GFL off /dev/backburner (Yep it's a block device) and  I'm
estimating that I should be in Beta/RC RSN.  However, I've just hit a
major ethical dilemma.

Since I'm including w3m and openssh I'm going to need to use openssl, the
free crypto library.  With this ofcourse comes the issue of patents.  The
ones in question are AFAIK the IDEA algorithm and the RSA patented stuff.

I suppose I could just cut out the IDEA and RSA algorithm although I'm
worried that it might affect w3m's functionality as a browser.  Since the
RSA patents expire on Sept 17th this year, and also cuz it's a US patent
and I'm in Japan, I don't care, but regarding IDEA, what should I
do???(The patent will expire in 2010 and yes it is patented in Japan).

Openssh since it uses 3DES/Blowfish is not affected by this stuff BTW.

Questions? Comments?

Austin K. Kurahone
Tokyo Linux Users Group
"It didn't matter.  Not when all mistakes could be left behind at twelve hundered miles per hour."  --Ringworld

Ps: Wohoo GFL 0.5a (With ext3/kernel debugger support) coming soon to a
FTP site near you... (Yes, I know that ext3 is far from production ready
but then again what do you think the "a" in every GFL release stands for)

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