Breen Ouellette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> I just spotted this in the news:
>
> http://news.com.com/Transmeta+sues+Intel+for+patent+infringement/2100-1006_3-6124965.html?tag=nefd.top
>
> If Intel makes a habit of stealing patented technology would open access
> to their hardware documentation then make it easier for the patent
> holder to sue? The reason I ask is that I am merely trying to understand
> if Intel's real motivation for NDAs could be to protect themselves from
> lawsuits if they are stealing IP.
I doubt it. The NDA isn't going to stop somebody else in the field
from knowing what is happening. Most breakthroughs don't happen in some
solitary persons' basement; they normally happen in the context of large
research establishments with lots of people who talk to each other.
An NDA might even backfire. It could be seen as evidence the company
knew it was somebody else's proprietary secret, and they were trying
to hide their ill-begotten gains. That could even increase the odds of
criminal penalties for the persons involved -- an NDA is pretty much by
definition a self-documenting process.
I haven't looked at your link yet, but patent infringement cases come
up all the time. They almost never are decided in court. What usually
happens first is the parties involved settle out of court and make some
sort of cross-licensing pact - very often the pact itself is secret,
so it's not always easy to decide who comes out the winner in these cases.
Keep in mind, Intel *needs* companies like TransMeta and AMD to be in business.
If they go out of business, Intel has a large exposure for anti-trust
action.
>
> If any developers are willing to comment that would be great. I've never
> seen hardware documentation from a vendor so I don't know what it
> usually contains.
Here is some hardware docuemntation:
ftp://download.intel.com/design/Itanium/Downloads/24531903s.pdf
http://e-www.motorola.com/brdata/PDFDB/docs/MPCFPE32B.pdf
http://www.sun.com/microelectronics/UltraSPARC-IIi/docs/805-0087.pdf;$sessionid$Z55GQEK3RHOIVAMTA1LU45Q
http://www.intel.com/design/pentium4/manuals/24547012.pdf
http://bitsavers.vt100.net/ibm/360/A22-6843-3_360channelOEM.pdf
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/mit/rle_pdp1/memos/pdp28_tsChanges_apr65.pdf
ps2q04-019.pdf
http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q04-019.pdf
( they may not all work - they date back many years... )
( if you look at intel & other companies, you'll find
plenty more documentation. Old stuff is usually not
protected by nda. )
>
> Thanks.
>
> Breeno
