[ILUG] Software Patents Debate

[John Madden]

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On (06/07/05 02:34), Niall Walsh didst pronounce:
> "Patents are not a sword, patents are a shield" ... rubbish.  If anything they
> are a sword (their raison d'etre is to sue, or at least threaten and settle, 
> if no-one sue's no-one needs their protection for cross-licensing) but if 
> anything they are simply the raw iron for the lawyers blacksmithery.
> 
Patents shouldn't be granted without hard evidence that it covers a new
and novel solution to a problem. They've been turned from protection for
inventors into assets for companies. The more patents you have, the
better chance you have of winning a few lawsuits and making millions,
without ever actually doing anything useful with the ideas you've
hoarded. This is what has completely turned me away from the patent
system. It's completely unfair (costs alone for filing a patent are too
high) and is geared more towards large corporations than back-yard-shed
inventors (who, as I understood it, patents were _meant_ to be
protecting). If I ran the world, I'd dump all patents and have a
free-for-all free market, where the best implementation of the invention
makes the money, and not the "owner" of the original idea.

> The one piece I can guarantee is a lie is his claim that the 62,000 Irish SME 
> employees support the common position.  20 company owners who responded to a 
> 24 hour Sunday email request clearly stated the obvious.
> 
This should definitely be brought to his attention at least, and if at
all possible, brought to the attention of the media.

> If you are a member of Mr Crowley's constituency (which I am not) perhaps you 
> might like to consider an appropriate response.
> 
Been there, done that! But I will write to him again and express my
distaste at how we were labelled by him.

- -- 
Chat ya later,

John.
- --
BOFH excuse #1: clock speed
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