[vtkusers] Re: Pattented contouring filters in vtk

[Goodwin Lawlor]

Robert Milaszewski wrote:
> We are using version 4.3 of vtk release.  I see a few contouring filters
> in Patented subdirectory of the vtk distribution.  I also noticed that 
> newer
> versions of vtk have these filters in Graphics subdirectory.  Does that 
> mean
> that patents expired on these contouring algorithms.  What is the 
> current status
> and how does it affect version of vtk that we are using?
> 
> thanks,
> Robert M Milaszewski

Hi Robert,

The marching cubes algorithm expired this summmer. Kitware transferred 
their patented sync template classes to the VTK BSD-like licence. 
vtkDecimate is still patented but dropped from the repository.

hth

Goodwin