Software patents

[David Kelly]

Moved to -chat because this does not belong on -questions. Not that it 
belongs on FreeBSD.org at all...

On Friday 12 September 2003 04:18 pm, Jens Rehsack wrote:
> But if any algorithm used in bsd will be patented in europe and
> the patent became valid, they may have a problem either.

If such a patent were issued in Europe then it would be invalid 
specifically due to the prior art in BSD.

I fail to understand how an invention implemented in software is any 
less worthy of protection than any other machine.

Protest of the patent system is as old as patent history. Same old tired 
arguments claiming patents somehow stifle creativity. Seemingly a 
"patented technique" from any text on "How To Lie" is to be loud and 
first to claim the opposite of fact is true. Copying is not innovation, 
so claim patents and copyrights are preventing you from innovating.

-- 
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly at hiwaay.net
=====================================================================
The human mind ordinarily operates at only ten percent of its
capacity -- the rest is overhead for the operating system.