🚀 go-pugleaf

Paul Johnson writes:

   Billy Yow writes:
    [On proposed 5 cent royalties for trivial patents]
   >A shareware or public domain program (that infringed) COULD NOT BE
   >COPIED because the making of a copy would then require a patent payment
   >if the copy was given away.  

   >And what about BACKUPs of patented software do they infringe?

   What *exactly* constitutes patent infringement?  Is it the
   construction of a machine which falls under the patent?  Or is it the
   subsequent sale or other disposal of that machine?  I think it is the
   former (Note: I am not a lawyer).  Hence every time one loads (say)
   RSA software into one's machine one breaks the law.  Making a backup
   does not affect the issue since it is the loading of the software
   (converting a general purpose computer into a specific machine which
   is covered by the patent) that matters.

It is my understanding that so long as you do not make a profit from
the use of the patent, that the patent holder cannot charge you for
use of the patent and the information contained within it.  I know
that it used to be like this, but I am not sure whether it still is or
not.  This is an intereting hole in it, that as far as I am concerned
would allow the FSF to continue its work, no matter how many patents
cover what they do.  Someone, please clarify this.  Mike are you out
there?

Chris
--
| Chris Petrilli
| petrilli@gnu.ai.mit.edu
| I don't even speak for myself.