Wolfe patent on "assert chains"

[Robert Dewar]

Diego Novillo wrote:
> On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 04:49, Steven Bosscher <stevenb.gcc@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> I wonder if GCC's VRP ASSERT_EXPRs would be considered prior art.
> 
> Even earlier than that.  The assertion mechanism in GCC was taken
> directly from the PLDI'95 Patterson paper.

Does anyone know if inclusion of something in openly available source
code has been accepted as proper publication for prior art? (it does
not meet the letter, but it does meet the spirit I would say).
> 
> 
> Diego.