Re: [oc] i386 legally

[John Dalton <john.dalton@bigfoot.com>]

> What would be legal hurdles for making a i386 clone cpu?
> any take?

The usual I am not a lawyer disclaimer...

It depends on where you do it and where
you distribute the results.

If you only design a system, and don't
build it, I gather patents aren't relevant.
(thoughts from others?  What about US
software patents?)

If you build a system, but don't sell it
the requirements vary from country to
country.  For example, in the US it appears
to be illegal to build anything which is
patented, while in Australia it appears
to be legal to build it but illegal to
commercially exploit it.  Other countries
are probably different again.

If building, you will have to check whether Intel
(and others?) have patented aspects of the i386 and these
patents have not yet expired.  Perhaps try and find
out whether AMD licensed Intel technology or
did their own?  Ideally you want no patents
worldwide, but at a minimum no patents in you
jurisdiction.  (If there are patents outside
the jurisdiction in which you live Intel/other
may threaten you, even though they don't have a case)

If patents do affect you, you will need
to find ways of doing things which
do not violate those patents.

That's my understanding of things.  Take it with a large
grain of salt though as I do not have any legal training.

Regards
John
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