From owner-freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Jul 9 03:31:04 2005 Return-Path: X-Original-To: chat@Freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 95A3016A41C for ; Sat, 9 Jul 2005 03:31:04 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from dkelly@HiWAAY.net) Received: from smtp.knology.net (smtp.knology.net [24.214.63.101]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 0963743D4C for ; Sat, 9 Jul 2005 03:31:03 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from dkelly@HiWAAY.net) Received: (qmail 16502 invoked by uid 0); 9 Jul 2005 03:31:02 -0000 Received: from user-69-73-60-132.knology.net (HELO ?10.0.0.6?) (69.73.60.132) by smtp1.knology.net with SMTP; 9 Jul 2005 03:31:02 -0000 In-Reply-To: <9A4DB033-3EF6-498F-8DF7-FD402C8E5D9C@tamu.edu> References: <9A4DB033-3EF6-498F-8DF7-FD402C8E5D9C@tamu.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v730) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Message-Id: <2D41F1BE-5813-4A04-A3B2-7AEF78D58FC5@HiWAAY.net> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: David Kelly Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2005 22:31:00 -0500 To: chat@Freebsd.org X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.730) Cc: "R. Tyler Ballance" Subject: Re: Software patents and FreeBSD X-BeenThere: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Non technical items related to the community List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 09 Jul 2005 03:31:04 -0000 This doesn't belong on Questions or Hackers. On Jul 8, 2005, at 6:28 PM, R. Tyler Ballance wrote: > Howdy, > > i'll be meeting tuesday with staffers for my congressman (since > he's still in D.C.) to discuss software patents and the "evil" > behind them. There is absolutely nothing inherently evil about so-called "software patents." If an invention has honestly been made then it makes no difference whatsoever if its implemented in software or with gears and levers, the inventor deserves protection. The problem lies with the Patent Office for issuing patents for prior art. Funniest example I know of is "Method of Exercising a Cat" http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5443036.html. Its a laser pointer. Who hasn't played with a cat using a flashlight or mirror before laser pointers were invented? Another example is that the Patent Office used to new patents for old technology simply because the new claim specified a 10" disk drive rather than 12". This silliness was mostly resolved between 5-1/4" and 3-1/2". -- David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@HiWAAY.net ======================================================================== Whom computers would destroy, they must first drive mad.