xml-dev - Re: [OT] Re: Geoworks and their patent

[Len Bullard <cbullard@hiwaay.net>]

David Megginson wrote:

> Or, to put it differently, patenting generic software algorithms is
> like patenting move plots or business strategies.  The good news is
> that most technologically-advanced countries in the world agree, and
> do not allow software patents; the bad news is that the U.S. doesn't
> agree, and worse, its patent office has proven itself technically
> inept for the patents it does grant.

Well, David, at the risk of starting an international squabble, I 
note you relish bashing the Americans while remaining 
curiously silent about the MPEG patents of the French and Germans 
as this technology is being wed to otherwise open standards. 
That MP3 player on your laptop is licensed tech.

A friend of mine is a patent officer.  I brought the issue up 
to him and he says that they like so many others have not the 
time or expertise to take on the flood of software patent 
applications.  

Some like the MS patent on stylesheets can be fairly 
quickly overturned if anyone with resources cares to do it.  
Will they?  Most of us know the prior art exists.  

As for our silly government, if we didn't have them, who else 
would restrain us?

len the wickedly amused



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