Microsoft has Patented "sudo." Yes, the Command
Microsoft has Patented "sudo." Yes, the Command
Posted 11/13/2009 at 6:00am
| by Paul Lilly
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Well here's something we didn't see coming. Microsoft has apparently convinced the patent courts to grant the Redmond company a patent for "sudo," the command every Linux user is familiar with. Think that's mind boggling? Check out the final wording for the patent:
"Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or steps described. Rather, the specific features and steps are disclosed as preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention."
So how did Microsoft manage to patent the Linux command? We don't know, and it doesn't look like Groklaw does, either. But one thing's for sure - Red Hat's going to have a conniption.
Image Credit: U.S. Patent Trademark Office
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MvanA
November 13, 2009 at 10:43am
From what I've read Microsoft is only patenting their implementation of sudo ie. User Account Control that they intoroduced in Windows Vista and now Windows 7. The patent filing makes clear that there are pre-existing implementations of user account elevation in other operating systems.
QUINTIX256
November 13, 2009 at 11:52am
They aren't patenting the SUDO command. They are making a patent for their privilage elevation. Of course they are going to reference alternatives. I read an MSDN blog article highlighting the difference between sudo and UAC.
The author of this article needs to do some rewording.
You can have your recession. I'm not participating.
lien_meat
November 13, 2009 at 11:06am
I don't get it...they admit that there are pre-existing implementations (that would qualify as prior art right?) and yet they still get the patent approved?
Am I completely wrong in thinking that if we ignore prior art as a determinant of whether a patent is valid, the entire concept breaks down? I mean, you might as well be able to patent something that has already to be patented in that case. Am I completely off base here, or what am I mis-understanding? (I'm being serious, I don't know that much about patent law...)
MvanA
November 13, 2009 at 11:27am
I'm no expert on US patent law either, but I'm gathering that they are patenting the GUI and user interaction aspects of UAC. I don't think they are actually patenting sudo and account elevation, I think they are patenting their UAC watchdog version of on the fly account elevation.
Biceps
November 13, 2009 at 10:01am
Ok, does anyone disagree with the fact that to work in the US patent office you have to be an idiot? Cause if those people are using their heads for anything other than keeping their ears from smashing together, I haven't seen it recently.
Software patents should not exist (like ABBA and deep-fried snickers, they are just too dangerous).
Digital-Storm
November 13, 2009 at 10:51am
Snickers... The horse? http://www.hunterjumpersource.com/images/snickers.jpg Mmmmm Deep Fried!
gendoikari1
November 13, 2009 at 7:13am
It seems they patented only gksu/gksudo. That's a little better than patenting su/sudo, but is still pants on head retarded.
Neufeldt2002
November 13, 2009 at 7:10am
I see that since MS can't come up with legit infringment cases, it boondoogles the patent process so that it can claim one. Typical MS style. Pitty, really as I was just starting to foster some respect for them. Oh well, not anymore.
I wanted a signature, but all I got was this ________
mattman059
November 13, 2009 at 3:14pm
um pardon the slight side step of the conversation but.." boondoogle" ? really...."boondoogle"
iNNeR_KaoS
November 13, 2009 at 6:04am
Seriously, just a little bit of research (1 or 2 minutes) actually shows this is a sensationalist headline.
Nycromes
November 13, 2009 at 8:00am
The wording at the end is a blank check so to speak. It says that they describe in the patent "a set of steps" for their invention, but that this is not the only set of steps. Any process that elevates user rights now is included in the patent. Perhaps I missed something though, I looked at the patent itself and it does not specifically mention Sudo in the actual patent. They didn't patent the command, but the process.
What happens with this remains to be seen, but in this day and age many companies are patenting things to protect themselves from the patent troll companies that levy lawsuits on things like this. Its the simple things that those companies go out, patent, and then sue over. Hopefully MS is just protecting themselves from that type of behavior, but this is one example of many patents that shouldn't be granted in the first place. The patent system is broken.
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