Lynn, the patent system is out of control and unjust, and it is anyways ill-suited to software and information.Information Week http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20021212S0010 said Who owns the methods of E-commerce? Many companies say they do and that they have the patents to prove it. [...] "Obviously, if all video on the Web infringes on their patent, you'd think they'd go after the big guys, but they seem to be going after little content providers who can't afford to fight them in court. I can't help but feel like I'm being shaken down by the hi-tech version of Tony Soprano...." Strong words, even for a message board on the Internet. Mitigated, perhaps, by the poster's nom de Web: Spooky Suicide. And when you find out Mr. Suicide operates a (self-described) "slightly naughty" Web site known as "Suicide Girls," you may begin to suspect there's more than a little pot-versus-kettle syndrome at work here.
The legitimacy of the federal government itself has been progressively weakened. There is a systematic problem with concentrated benefit distributed cost economics, i.e. excessive influence by owners, officers, and executives of big concentrated corporations. The failure of campaign finance reform is only tip of the iceberg.
Citizens should not feel morally or ethically bound to obey software and business process patents and copyrights.
It is my earnest belief that citizens have a moral obligation to use software and business processes consistently with their highest needs, taking into consideration the highest needs of the community. Since those needs are often contrary to the legal mandates out of New York and Washington DC the citizen quite often has a moral obligation to violate software and business process patents.
Todd Boyle CPA
Kirkland WA
