Re: Software patents

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Article #1202

#1202

From: Joel Peterson
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 00:00

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Malcolm McMahon wrote:
> My objection to software patents is a more practical one. Software is an
> activity where millions of people are "inventing". A software patent
> could apply to four lines of code in a million line program.
> 
> It's simply impossible for a programmer to check that he or she hasn't
> unwittingly trampled on one or more patents in writing a program. It
> would turn programming into a legal minefield. Every two man software
> house would need its own patent lawyer, and even then they'd still be at
> constant risk of lawsuits.

I can't disagree with this argument.

I think courts are lenient if the defendents can show that they made
reasonable efforts to comply with existing patents.  Whether software
patents turn into a legal minefield is going to depend on the eventual
legal definition of "reasonable efforts" and how it scales with the size
of the organization.  I think eventually there will be a solid and fair
legal definition, but the interim may be pretty dicey.

Note: I'm not a lawyer.

-- 
Index of Alternative Operating Systems           http://www.indexos.com

Joel Peterson                                  joel@odin-consulting.com
President
Odin Consulting, Inc.                    http://www.odin-consulting.com

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From: Joel Peterson <joel@odin-consulting.com>
Subject: Re: Software patents
Date: 1998/10/10
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