Re: [tlug] Patents gone wrong?

["Michael Engel" <mkengel@example.com>]

On 8/25/06, Josh Glover <jmglov@example.com> wrote:
> Steve, as an economist, is there an argument for software patents
> being necessary? Is it just the current implementation that is broken,
> or the design, or the whole idea of software patents?

Imagine you (your computer software company) have invented a process
how to make computers using memory more efficiently. So your system
allows the computer to start up in 1 second.
How do you plan to protect your invention ?

If you invented how your chemical company can speed up a manufacturing
process and use raw materials more efficiently, you can easily patent
it.

Do you see a fundamental difference between the software process and
the chemical process ?

---------------
Read the following comment without any prejudice (pro/contra)
http://lists.canopener.ca/pipermail/discuss/2004-December/001868.html

------------------
Do you think his argumentation is logical ? Software development is so
much easier compared to development of manufacturing processes, isn't
it.

If you don't protect your patent with a patent you protect it with
copyright (life of the author +75 years) - and now go back to his
argumentation why the patent protection is so bad for the progress (he
says because it gives a 20 years protection).

Btw. A patented micky mouse would be in public domain now.

Michael Engel