Lockless algorithms [was Re: splxxx replacements?]

[talon at lpthe.jussieu.fr]

Erik Wikström <erik-wikstrom at xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I doubt that we'll ever see any GPL in the kernel). The algorithm (or 
> technique or whatever) is protected by a patent and you need a special 
> license to use it, which, as far as I know, IBM have not given to anyone 
> but Linux.

By the way, on the following page
http://atomic-ptr-plus.sourceforge.net/
you can find various references to lockless algorithms, and to patents
covering them, in particular belonging to IBM. This looks like a
mine field. I doubt that IBM would be happy to see its so called "intellectual
property" shoved in an operating system whose philosophy is that anyone can do
anything with it, in particular its commercial rivals can make use of it in
closed source operating systems.

-- 
Michel Talon