Re: Software Patent Concerns => New Black Markets?

[Preben Randhol <randhol+abuse@pvv.org>]

Hyman Rosen wrote:
> Robert C. Leif wrote:
>> Why do you want a system that discriminates against software inventors?
> 
> We don't. We want to discriminate against inventors in general.
> 
> The patent system is a devil's bargain at the best of times, because
> it drastically limits freedom of expression. It makes sense for some
> cases where the costs of invention are high, the reproducilibilty is
> cheap, and the invention is useless unless marketed. Developing new
> drugs is such a thing - a drug company has no use for drugs except to
> sell them; it itself isn't sick. Developing software usually fails the
> third test, because much software is written to be used, not sold.
> Ditto for business processes; Amazon developed one-click to enhance the
> utility of its web shopping site.

But also that many of the patents are very banal and that malignant
companies are trying to get patents to steal money. Patents were
suppose to work so that a company that invest a lot of money into making
a technology could get this money back and make a decent earning by
being protected by the patent until it expires. However making the click
system at Amazon could hardly have taken much brain cycles nor coding.
It is therefore more an obstacle you place in the middle of the road and
hope the competition cannot get around than anything else. What about
the effort by a company which name slipped my mind to copyright the
hyperlinking "technology"? I consider this as trying to patent the use
of a fork to eat dinner.


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 So who am I to judge.�
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