From: Stephen Kellett <snail@...>
Date: 2005-01-21T03:15:59+09:00
Subject: Re: [OT] Open Source Licenses against Software Patents

In message <J0PHd.19856$by5.515@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com>, Thursday 
<nospam@nospam.nospam.nospam.nospam.org> writes
>3.  help protect small companies and startups from being raped by 
>established companies who copycat their novel & non-obvious inventions 
>and crush them with superior marketing & brand-name recognition

The main problem with software patents is that it is the large companies 
that use them to stop small companies, not the other way around.

Patents were invented when the progress of technology was slow. Think 
static steam engines. In 25 years the change was quite slow. In the 
world of software, software patents should have a maximum lifetime of 
about 2 years.

Stephen
-- 
Stephen Kellett
Object Media Limited    http://www.objmedia.demon.co.uk
RSI Information:        http://www.objmedia.demon.co.uk/rsi.html