Re: GPIB board drivers for Solaris

From: Joe Soap (me_at_privacy.net)
Date: 05/21/05 

Date: 21 May 2005 12:11:08 GMT

In response to what Richard B. Gilbert <rgilbert88@comcast.net> posted in
news:zKudnWTXcKYJgBLfRVn-2Q@comcast.com:

> It also helps that HP was willing to license the patents to anyone for
> an extremely reasonable fee; last I heard (1980 something) the license
> was about $200US. It made the technology extremely attractive to
> instrument makers, computer vendors, software developers, etc. Add the
> fact that there was no competing standard worthy of the name and the
> deal was done!

But there were doubts about the validity of the patent - relating to the
three-wire handshake - on the grounds that it was obvious and any competent
engineer would have done it that way.

Most manufacturers of IEEE488-compatible equipment simply ignored the
patent and went ahead anyway. I never heard of any being sued by HP. 

-- 
Joe Soap.
JUNK is stuff that you keep for 20 years,
then throw away a week before you need it.