🚀 go-pugleaf

[mod- Crossposting from a discussion in one of the following groups..
comp.sys.sun.admin,comp.unix.admin,comp.unix.solaris]
[Followups to comp.patents.]

In article <1992Aug3.224746.25893@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> steagall@amber.uh.cwru.edu (Bob Steagall) writes:

       Instead of all this socialist ranting and raving, why don't you
   supply us with some facts.

Opposition to software patents has little or nothing to do with socialism.
If you want to classify it, "libertarian" is reasonably accurate.

       1.  What company has patented or attempted to patent an idea?

Every company that has patented or attempted to patent an algorithm.

           I also recall recall that Apple just recently lost in their 
           suit against Microsoft.  The judge ruled that Apple did not have an
           exclusive right to the idea of a GUI.

This was a copyright issue, not a patent issue.  Apple claimed (and
continues to claim) that they could copyright a "look and feel".

       2.  How much "blood money" has been extracted from small comapanies (D)?

This question is confusing.  If by "blood money", you are referring to
patent royalties, then the anwer is a lot.  However, more often the patent
is used to prevent the small company from producing the product at all.

       4.  How many patent officers have you ever met?  By what criteria and by
           what experience do you have the authority to pronounce them all
           incompetent (E)?

The GAO had a good report recently on the problems with the competence of
patent office employees in the area of Computer Science.  (No, I don't
have the citation handy.)

       If you think the world will be a better place by giving away the
   software you write, by all means give it away.

This has nothing to do with the issue of software patents.

   In fact, since you seem to dislike corporations so much, ...

This also has nothing to do with the issue of software patents.

   That way, you could sever any contact with those nasty companies and
   that disgusting (ughhh, shiver,...) profit motive.

Again, this has nothing to do with the issue of software patents.

   You could rejoice in the fact that you've left that awful US legal
   system with all those pesky rights and things.

The complaint is not about the entire U.S.A. legal system, but rather the
part that is granting government-enforced monopolies on the usage of
algorithms.

   But screaming about the issue, calling people names and making
   slanderous accusations is not going to help advance the cause, it just
   wastes net bandwidth.

I agree.  I find it a shame you didn't take your own advice.

-- 
Enjoy,

Joe Wells <jbw@cs.bu.edu>
Member of the League for Programming Freedom --- send e-mail for details