[pdftex] xpdf (was: [Gs-devel] Re: [gnu@toad.com: Re: EFF placeholder page for when we have PDF rather than HTML])

[Ray Johnston]

"L. Peter Deutsch" wrote:
> 
> > Looking at the work required at the technical level, you're right.  But I
> > had a feeling that there were patents in PDF 1.4 that might stop a
> > competing implementation dead.  :-(
> 
> I hope Raph Levien, who has studied the PDF 1.4 transparency specification
> very carefully and has some opinions on the patent situation with respect to
> it, will reply on this issue.
> 
> > Someone should look into the patent situation.  Ah, actually, I think I'm
> > remembering patents on parts of PostScript level 3, that prevent a PS
> > level 3 clone.  I don't know if they would include PDF 1.4.
> 
> I know of no such patents.

Actually, there are a couple of problematic areas. Since both Level 2
PS and PDF support TrueType fonts (Type 42 in the case of PS), the
TT hinting patents impede full implementation of a TrueType Font renderer.
Also the patents in the trapping area (so far) seem to impede most
implementations of in-RIP trapping of LL3.

Note that these aren't Adobe patents, but get in the way none the less.

Regards,
Ray Johnston
_____________________________________________________________________