On Sunday 20 March 2005 10:35, Paul Jakma wrote:
> I had dropped out of the thread - i dont really have more to say :).
I do hope that happened _after_ you'd read through provided links to
venture capitalist and deutsche bank research anti-swpat statements,
which are likely far more convincing than mine, because I disagree
with all patents in principle. One of the things I do wish
anti-software patent people would be more careful of is the fact that
with a bit of thought, many of their arguments apply equally well to
other fields upon which patents have been inflicted.
> So generalise from "undermines copyright, public domain, etc.." to
> "undermines the free use of ideas" - which is exactly what patents
> are all about.
>> There is simply nothing special about how patents undermine
> "copyright" as they undermine everything. Stop trying to make out as
> if interaction with copyright is somehow special. It's not.
>
It's "special" because copyright* exists to be undermined , but other
than that, yes, fine, I agree with you: patents are generally
undermining. But if a city is being generally undermined, pointing
out to owners of a particular building that their building is being
undermined is not untrue.
(*note: I ultimately disagree with copyright in its current form too,
but patenting won't kill it for reasons you outlined...)
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