On Sat, 16 Dec 2006 18:52:45 -0500, Shmuel Metz (Seymour J.) <shmuel+ibm- [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>However, refusing to license patents on reasonable terms, or using >invalid patents to restrict competition, could well be. Of course, but it is a different issue and does not prevent a company, a priori, from enforcing its patent rights. People have talked about several things: - The validity of patents - Patents vs. Copyrights - The requirement to license a patent - The terms of a patent license - Software licenses, terms and conditions All are reasonably debated and interrelated, but a ruling against one is not a ruling against all. And while someone may not like IBM's actions in all of the above areas, or may even disagree with the laws that govern them, it seems encumbent on us to support IBM's *right* to take action under existing law. It's kinda like that old saw in the US about free speech: I may not agree with what you say, but I'll fight to the death for your right to say it. If anyone wants to read about it, Title 35 of the United States Code is filled with fun and interesting facts about patents. Copyrights can be found in Title 17. Alan Altmark For himself ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
