On Thu, 2007-05-24 at 20:40 -0600, Pueblo Native wrote: > Daniel Kasak wrote: > > On Thu, 2007-05-24 at 20:40 -0500, Thomas W. Cranston wrote: > > > > > >> Maybe the open source community should start patenting every conceivable > >> thing as well. > >> > >> I have worked with patent applications in the past, and the big boys > >> apply for a patent for their idea, as well as every conceivable > >> variation on that theme. We should do the same. > >> > > > > It costs money to do that, and in the process validates the whole > > concept of software patents. I think a better approach is to fight for a > > rejection of all software patents. > > > > > > I don't think it so much as validates the idea of software patents as it > does make whoever is doing this look like a moron.
Well, I agree that from *our* perspective, patent-hoarding looks stupid, but on the other hand, it sends a conflicting message to others who aren't necessarily as clear as us on the patent situation. ie some people could come to the conclusion that it's not software patents *generally* that are bad; it's just *individual* patents that are bad, and that 'good' patents could be used as a defense against 'bad' patents. This however is not the case. When things get to court, the party with the biggest army of lawyers and bribed politicans wins. Open-source developers have neither lawyers nor politicians in their back pockets, and should instead unite around the worthy goal of destroying software patents completely. To summarize the point: we need a clear, consistent approach and arguement that can win over other people who haven't yet made their minds up about software patents. > Patents have taken a rather sharp turn for the ridiculous, much like > copyrights (how being able to monopolize any work for life + 75 under > the Mickey Mouse Protection Act benefits the public is beyond me). > Even if you support the idea of patents generally, there has to be some > specificity in them (not to mention timeliness in actually "protecting" > that patent). I agree with you 100% here. And your example of the Mickey Mouse Protection Act, which no doubt came courtesy of the 'Senator from Disney' ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hollings ) underscores my point above about our weakness in this area. -- Daniel Kasak IT Developer NUS Consulting Group Level 5, 77 Pacific Highway North Sydney, NSW, Australia 2060 T: (+61) 2 9922-7676 / F: (+61) 2 9922 7989 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] website: http://www.nusconsulting.com.au --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
