[Patents] Re: [Patents] Re: source vs binary.

[wollny@cns.mpg.de wollny@cns.mpg.de]

On Mon, 13 Dec 1999, Jean-Jacques de Jong wrote:

> wollny@cns.mpg.de wrote:
> > 
> > On Mon, 13 Dec 1999, Jean-Jacques de Jong wrote:
> > 
> A clear limit must be found between what is allowable dissemination of
> the teachings of a patent, and what is distributing an infringing
> product. 
> There is no case law, so we must anticipate it. I think the
> source-code/binary-code limit is defendable, because it is equivalent to
> the limits that could be clearly set in other fields, e.g. plans/device,
> diagram/electronic circuit...

And where will you set the limit with code, which is always in source
(like shell scripts) ?
IMO the limit is if I actually follow the given description and execute
the algorithm. But, if this is not bound to a special purpouse device,
even the execution with pen and paper or in thought becomes an
infringtion - and this is doubleplus-ungood.