On 12 Dec 2006 12:40:27 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Jeffrey D. Smith) wrote: >I patented a data compression process, and I saw how the sausage was made >at the patent office. For many reasons, I think patenting software is a >very bad idea. I think copyright protections are stronger and easier to >enforce. Software patents are mostly for Public Relations and marketing.
Do you think it is a bad idea for companies to patent their software? As opposed to, say, trade secrets? Arguments for this are of interest to software developers. Or do you think the concept of patents which has been very good in the past needs re-thinking. I can see quite a few arguments that its useful cycle is nearing its end. (We can't patent recipes, but there's a thriving recipe business) (Many times patents are used not to innovate these days, but to stop competition) This discussion is of great interest to all - but not so much in this forum. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
