Hello all!

[Fred]

On Wed, 2004-05-26 at 12:16, Bruce Dawson wrote:
> Welcome to the world of GNHLUG, where things aren't what they seem. :-)
> But we are geeks, and we like it anyway!
> 
> I visited your web site, and noticed your patent. I'm curious, what is
> your take on software patents?

> --Bruce

Good question.

Basically, I hate them. I don't think software should be patentable. On
the other hand, if a great deal of effort were expended to create
something truly unique, perhaps there might need to be some protection
for that effort.

Reality is, the cat's out of the bag. Corporations use patents as
leverage against each other, and Cisco -- who I sold my patent to -- is
no different. Indeed, they had been behind the "8-ball" with their
arsenal of patents at the time and gave strong  $$$ encouragement for
all engineers to file anything that was patenable. Software and
hardware.

Some software patents, such as the XOR algorithm for doing computer
graphics is utterly ridiculous. Others that involves complex algorithms
may be a different story.

So, in reality, I am mixed on the issue. I see patents today being used
in ways they were not intended, and I consider that a major loss.
Patents are used today as bargaining chips and leverage, not so much to
fuel the fires of innovation and progress as they were originally
intended.

Don't get me wrong -- I am quite proud of my software patent despite the
fact I hate the concept of patenting software. It put a few extra bucks
in my pocket, and as a non-degreed autodidact, it puts me on a map as
having accomplished something. And since I am the inventor, I can very
easily come up with a small variant of what I sold Cisco that would not
violate the patent.

I am very strongly pro open source. I think it demonstrates that us
humans can self-organize and create something useful without lots of
autocratic control.

I think there's room for every modality to exist in this world, despite
the abuses of some. It is what it is, so let's make the best of it.

Well, that was a mouthful for such a "simple" question!

-- 
Fred -- fred at lrc.puissante.com -- place "[hey]" in your subject.
There are inflows and outflows -- and you're just a little node.
Know then, what transcendental sets have you.