From critto@proterians.net Sun, 21 May 2000 03:31:01 +0200 (CEST)
Date: Sun, 21 May 2000 03:31:01 +0200 (CEST)
From: Krzysztof Sobolewski critto@proterians.net
Subject: [Patents] Some good and sane solutions to several insane problems

  Some solutions to patent system, software patents
       and our cooperation&competition.
  
  Hello,
my name is Krzysztof (Christopher) Sobolewski. Some of you may
know me, some not.

  1. shortening patent protection period to, say, 5 years
  2. obliging, by law, any patent owner to grant a license to
     anybody, who wishes to pay for it (even to competitors) - 
     and thus, turning patent offices into 'patent supermarkets' 
     or 'patent shopping centers'    
  3. finding more ways against software patents (eg, if 'source'
     code may not be patented, and only binary may, we may assume
     and proove that, even binary code is 'source' code in some
     way - anyway, it is _INTERPRETED_ by a tool called
     (micro)processor. That small chip is a 'firm' combination
     of software and hardware, and its connections and circuit
     is like lines of the code... Of course, legal issues may be
     more complicated, and I'm NOT a lawyer.
  
     
  Some of you say of international treaties. Yes, it IS a problem;
it's invasion on our countries' sovereignty. But there is NO
treaty that can't be altered or abolished; there are many, which
are. If some law is bad, it should be changed - not ommitted in
some specefic, complex ways, through many loopholes and spending
BIIG sums of money - if something is insane, it should not exist.

  I don't like copyright law on some issues, too. For example:
prohibition of decompilation. That really stupid rule is making
lives of engineers more difficult. If you buy a radio, you always
may open it and look inside. If you 'buy' program - you may not.
Illogical and appalling.  

  So I propose changing COPYRIGHT LAW on software into something
more similiar to patents, anyway - only 'patents' on the one 
particular copy, one application - the work, not the idea. And then all 
the code would be 'open', and registered in some kind of office or 
recording company. And anyone could study any code as em wish to. 
And those, who wanted to use it, should pay - if only author of 
such application demands such payment, of course. So, there would
be less distinction between 'open source' and 'closed source' - 
any source should be open, but usage of part of it should be
for money, but of the other part - for free, according to the free
will of the author. Isn't it better ?

       
  Those of us, who contact with officials, authorities and other
folks I dislike (and do not, really, wish to contact with) shall
    - BEHAVE WELL, 
    - speak clearly,  
    - persuade.

  Here, on that forum, in that "new home of Mind" (as JP Barlow
called the network generally) we may behave as we wish to, with some 
guidelines of netiquette and so on. It's our meeting place, and thus 
it is no problem. For example, I _may_ be impulsive here, or somebody
else may say some sharp words; or ommit the English Language, if he/she
wants to; But, when somebody contacts with officials, or with business' 
'big money sharks', he/she should be okay, should be diplomatic and 
persuading; ey shall be, in short, good, assertive (non submittive or 
aggressive) diplomats.
  
  The other way I find in dealing with public. Public likes things 
like slogans, t-shirts, 'cute campaigns', etc. We MAY NOT neglect public,
because from public comes any support for ANY idea.  

  If persuasion is possible in the other issues (eg politics)
why not here ? Why not make perfect our persuading anti-patent
skills ? Please don't assume that 'big money' wins at every time.
We are people, too, and they are. Anyone has eir weeknesses and
strengths, and it's opportunity what makes a winner or a loser.
And we are not little children, and 'big money' isn't the insane 
teacher. There is a place for normal, good negotiations and so on.

  First, let us show what solutions may we found; for example,
the 'ANTI-PATENT Office' - that swpat.ffii.org seems to be for me -
collecting the prior art and so, making the great deal of 
programming art freely available for everyone. 
  There are more and more solutions, and we do not know all of
them; but we are pursuing them, and finding them. As Bible says
it, 'those who search will find'.  

  About my views on USA - yes, I admit it. I dislike many policies
done by US government, and dislike Bill Clinton personally
(I _was_ in favor of his impeachment at the well known case with 
Monika Lewinsky); but let it be known clear: 
  I _AM NOT_ antiamerican, furthermore - I  _admire_ Americans in many 
ways; I admire American culture, and the way of life; one of those 
ways is FREE, NOT MONOPOLISTIC market. And software patents are such 
evil kind of tyranny, that Founding Fathers of USA may turn in their 
graves (anyway, sw patents are antilibertarian, and thus antiamerican). 
So, while disliking US Govt in many ways (btw, many Americans dislike
it, too:), I _wish_ Europe such development, and becoming United States
of Europe; but ALONE, on HER OWN; protecting our own, European, interests 
(I'm Polish and I really support our access to European Union) - not the 
interests of sharks overseas & co. I hope that it's clear ?

  Okay, I'll better finish. I will welcome any coherent comments about
that letter, either on private e-mail, or on the list. See you,
    In the Name of Liberty,
        antipatent'ly yours,
	   Krzysztof "Critto" Sobolewski
*************************************************************************
           Krzysztof "Critto" Sobolewski
e-mail:critto@proterians.net
www:http://proterians.net/~critto
phone:+4858 301-72-50, +48608 114 421 (mobile)
addr:ul. Krosna 32/2, 80-857 Gdansk
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PS. I have nothing to do with Proterians company, except having an
    e-mail account and www pages there	         
                 





