Bob Ebert wrote:
> At 7:54 AM -0800 3/3/99, Jason Dawes wrote:
> >At 08:37 AM 3/3/99 +0100, you wrote:
> >>I guess you cant copyright an idea
> >
> >But you _can_ patent it.
>
> You patent processes, not ideas. You copyright expressions, not ideas. I
> don't know of any legal protection at all for ideas. (And I think that's a
> good thing!)
>
> Most of the work in generating a pattent application seems to be turning an
> idea into a process-oriented description. Of course, that's also most of
> the work required to exploit an idea. :)
That is why the patent laws are in the form they are. Patents are ment to
protect "implementable inventions and processes". That is why you can't get a
patent of perpetual motion machines or anything calming "infinite applications
or possibilities" such as an idea. Edison said, "Genius is ten percent
inspiration and ninety percent perspiration." Anyone here knowing the idea to
coding ratio can agree that that quote is very generous on the idea end.
The running cost of a patent filing professionally is running in the sum of
$20K now for domestic and international filings. It can be done for less if
you want to put more personal time into it though. Also, there was a ruling
about five years ago stating that pure software concepts such as scrolling text
in a window or a push button cannot be patented since it is not directly
connected to a process or tangible invention (i.e. hardware). This was done
so guys like us can write something, claim copyright and not fear patent
infringement from just writing code. Thank you AEA!
>
>
> --Bob
