A method can be patented. And not 'anything' On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 9:18 PM, Marco Nelissen <[email protected]> wrote:
> > "You can never patent abstract ideas. Game ideas cannot be patented" > > OK, so we've established you're not a patent lawyer... :) > My favorite patent is the one for swinging sideways on a swing, which > IMO illustrates you can patent pretty much anything. > > > On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 10:44 AM, Ikon <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Your contention that "grown up operating systems" should not allow you > > to copy ideas is totally unfounded. You can never patent abstracty > > ideas. Game ideas cannot be patented. Whether they should be is a > > different discussion. You can go right and now, and make a game on > > Windows with a story very similar to fallout, and write all your own > > code, and use all your own graphics/sound assets and you will not be > > infringing on that IP in any way. A company may come and try to sue > > you, but that has no relevance to a maturity of an operating system. > > > > On Apr 13, 10:43 am, Sundog <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Anyone who is surprised by this must be very, very new to the > >> programming game. I've been waiting for this since the store opened. > >> > >> IMHO, to the extent that the Android community becomes a proxy for > >> those that think All Ideas Should Be Free And Stealable, that is the > >> extent to which Android will never be a real grown-up operating > >> system. > >> > >> On Apr 7, 8:43 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > >> wrote: > >> > >> > On Saturday April 4th, I received a message from google saying that my > >> > game "Robotic Space Rock" was pulled from the android market after a > >> > request made by a legal firm representing an entity known as Tetris > >> > Company. My application was removed from the android market together > >> > with Blocks, Cubik, Net Tetris, Netblocks and Tetroid (6 apps in > >> > total) under claim that it violates the DMCA and more specifically > >> > trademarks and copyrighted material owned by the Tetris Company. > >> > However, none of the trademarks or copyrighted material (music, > >> > graphics and sound effects) are present in my game. Sound effects and > >> > music were created by me specifically for the game. There is no > >> > reference to the word tetris in the game. Additionally, all the game > >> > code, graphics and sound effects were created by me and published on > >> > the code sitehttp://code.google.com/p/monolithandroid > >> > >> > Additionally, I am not aware of a software patent covering the game > >> > mechanics of Tetris, so I cannot see how I could violate something > >> > that is not protected by a software patent. Also, even if the game was > >> > protected by a patent, the patent would have expired, since the > >> > original game, Tetris, was created 23 years ago. However game > >> > mechanics cannot be covered by patents. > >> > >> > I would also like to point out that my game is available completely > >> > free of charge to every user of the android market. > >> > >> > I wrote those concerns to Google and I sent an email to the EFF. The > >> > bottom line is that for my application to be restored on the android > >> > market, I have to send a DMCA counter-notification. And then the > >> > Tetris Company can sue and take the case to Court. > >> > >> > When games were pulled from the iPhone App store, they blamed apple, > >> > but it is not hard to see that behind application removals we can find > >> > companies like the Tetris Company, that demand application removals > >> > claiming copyright infringement and trademarks. However, it is not > >> > easy to battle these companies as individual developers. I, for > >> > example, am a Greek citizen living in Greece, so it is difficult for > >> > me to file a counter-notification, because then the Tetris company > >> > will probably sue me and I will have to defend my case in court. Why > >> > should I bother? Am I making money out of the game? No! But even if I > >> > did you can see how easy it is for corporations to neutralize > >> > developers like that. I think that something should be done. > >> > Independent developers should get together to battle against such > >> > misuse of the law by corporations. > >> > And to those that want more facts, you can find more details on my > >> > blog:http://tkcodesharing.blogspot.com > > > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
