In the European Union it has to now been illegal to have Software patents. Unfortunately they may change this, that would be a serious setback for the open computer industry in Europe. Please help this stop, the software industry needs more competition, not less!
yeah i know i posted this in cor too, but this is just to important
thanks
Apr-12-2004 12:34
Dervish
Your opinion matters.
Registered: Dec 2003
Location:
I dunno cos I was thinking of taking out a patent for an idea which would mainly be based on software. You do need to have some form of IPR for things like that. And remember an idea has to be new for it to be patented so you can't for example patent an existing program or whatever. Although in america it basicly comes down to how good your lawyer is. And of course you can extend your ptent in may cases.
But I do agree that you shouldn't be able to
quote:
patent business methods, education methods, health methods
As you can in america, which is just scary.
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Apr-12-2004 22:47
Yoepus
Neo-condimist
Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Ketchup fields, Texas
hehe as a fellow programer I say GOD NO!!!!!!!!!!!! To no patents for software.
Believe me, I've tried to patent a few of my own programs - its not that easy.. your idea really does have to be new and specific.
And most the times its just better to keep it a trade secret than a patent.
Afterall, trade secrets don't expire
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Hehehe I would do that if I could but a rip off would be easy. I'm looking to do it as a device rather than a software patent really though. As the actual software isn't really that complicated. If I was going to patent it I'd follow the time honoured tradition of patenting it in a weird language in an obscure place.
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Apr-12-2004 23:31
Yoepus
Neo-condimist
Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Ketchup fields, Texas
quote:
Originally posted by Dervish
Hehehe I would do that if I could but a rip off would be easy. I'm looking to do it as a device rather than a software patent really though. As the actual software isn't really that complicated. If I was going to patent it I'd follow the time honoured tradition of patenting it in a weird language in an obscure place.
Heh, you do your own software too?
I dunno device patents are cheaper.. but I don't know if you can do them. Ask a real patent lawyer.
Though what I never understood, if you are a British subject, why don't you just move to the Caymans and code there with no tax?
Thats what I plan to do once I have enough money... but you need to get immigration papers if your not a British subject
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Hehehe yeah.......what Cayman Islands? Never heard of emm.
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Apr-13-2004 00:04
St_Andrew
I <3 NYC
Registered: May 2003
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
you are biased
seriously, i have seen some really basic examples of software patents in the US, for example ""natural order recalculation" used in spreadsheets."
that is just sick. =)
and besides, you still got your copyright protection... i like the comparasion with books, what if you could take patent on a certain kind of murder for example, wouldn't that be just sick and destroy a lot of potential books that could be better but use this "special kind of murder" in it?
Apr-13-2004 00:08
Dervish
Your opinion matters.
Registered: Dec 2003
Location:
Yeah exactly thats scary stuff. But you can only do it for new stuff. Plus if you provide the same "functionallity" but do it a differnt way it's ok. So unless the murder was conducted by the same family member the same way and so on and so forth it would be ok. But I do kinda get the point tho cos big bussiness can just enforce or escape any patents it likes.
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Apr-13-2004 00:19
St_Andrew
I <3 NYC
Registered: May 2003
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
quote:
Originally posted by Dervish
Yeah exactly thats scary stuff. But you can only do it for new stuff. Plus if you provide the same "functionallity" but do it a differnt way it's ok. So unless the murder was conducted by the same family member the same way and so on and so forth it would be ok. But I do kinda get the point tho cos big bussiness can just enforce or escape any patents it likes.
yeah so it will only protect big companies and make it harder for small programmers to make a good piece of software.
the problem is also with different formats, for example opening .doc on linux or playing .rm on a non realplayer player etc. it just makes it harder for competition.
Apr-13-2004 00:25
Dervish
Your opinion matters.
Registered: Dec 2003
Location:
Supose. But surely the EU will make sure it doesn't effect compition via formmats and compatablity. Anyway I have to sleep, but it's pretty interesting actually.
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