From phm@a2e.de Sun, 26 Sep 1999 16:07:22 +0200 (CEST)
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 16:07:22 +0200 (CEST)
From: PILCH Hartmut phm@a2e.de
Subject: [Patents] Re: Patents digest, Vol 1 #77 - 1 msg

Mi sembra che Roberto Orsini wrote: 
 
> What I find chilling in their essay is that they don't speak against the
> free software with relation to the "patents are evil" argument, but
> against the free software in itself. I guess there are just too many
> people who can't conceive the existence of people willing to work not
> (only) for money, but for fun, fame, ethics or whatnot, so they try to
> convince others (or themselves?) that these people simply don't exist,
> or that they're part of some kind of cabal against the Good Principles
> of Capitalism.

Moreover, they appeal to a very widespread sentiment of small
fortune-seekers who, lacking any real skill that could sustain a small
software business, come across one or two good ideas and believe that they
should be entitled to jump into the rank of the mighty and powerful of
this world and build a fortune on those one or two ideas.

To these people, Free Software and big business are two sides of one and
the same dark force that prevents their dream from coming true, and the
patent system is like the news of gold mines in Alaska.  Maybe it is this
gold-rush mentality that made software patents appeal to Americans first.

The Breese article claims that innovation always comes from the small
inventor, and that this inventor's fruits are reaped by the big bad
business.  Paul Heckel (www.heckel.org) indulges in the same rhetorics,
which are pure demagogy but perhaps very effective.

> Frankly, I don't think that you, or anyone else, could make patent
> attorneys change their mind about this issue, not even in the slightest.
> I mean, do you think they would want to turn down what would be such a
> big business for them?
> Try anyway, but don't expect much.

At least in Germany I know some patent lawyers who are against the EU
plans and willing to lobby on our side.

-phm





