[Patents] Hardware/software codesign

[Robert Bielik Robert.Bielik@gyrosmicro.com]

"Classical" industry has evolved pretty well, wouldn't you say ? We now =
have
cars that run pretty well, computers that are fairly speedy. If this is =
in
spite of "classical" patents is of course impossible to state. However =
there
is one item regarding patents that I personally think do not apply to
software:

- 20 years of protection. Just think of it. 20 years of protection for =
a sw
patent when in sw, within 1 year, everything is "obvious". Absurd. =
Totally
absurd.

And the model from the USA (which patent lawyers wish to apply in =
Europe)
shows already that sw patents are NOT beneficial to society. If small =
to
medium sized companies go under due to being sued for infringement, =
even
when not justified, I think that is HIGHLY non-beneficial to society as =
a
whole.

Robert Bielik
SSE
Gyros Microlabs

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Didier Metzen [mailto:didier.metzen1@libertysurf.fr]
> Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2000 1:44=20
> To: Robert Bielik
> Cc: 'patents@liberte.aful.org'
> Subject: Re: [Patents] Hardware/software codesign
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> OK where is the answer "are classical patents beneficial to=20
> society today"?
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> By the way, two companies are now trying to get fees from=20
> their patent on MPEG
> algorithm. One is german, the second is french.
> Does somebody know where these patents have been granted?
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> Didier
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> Robert Bielik a =E9crit:
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> > Ed Avis wrote:
> >
> > >It's an impressive list of tools for designing hardware,=20
> but it doesn't
> > >say anything about whether patents on computer programs=20
> are of benefit
> > >to society.
> >
> > Which also is the ONLY valid consideration whether patents=20
> on SW should be
> > or
> > not be. The argument that because patents on mechanical=20
> devices are granted,
> > sw
> > patents should likewise be granted is the classical=20
> "sandbox" argument: "If
> > you have it,
> > I must have it also". Mr Aharonian as well as other=20
> proponents fail to
> > answer the
> > one and ONLY question: IS SW PATENTS BENEFICIAL TO SOCIETY ???
> >
> > Robert Bielik
> > Senior Software Engineer
> > Gyros Microlabs
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Patents maillist  -  Patents@liberte.aful.org
> > http://liberte.aful.org/mailman/listinfo/patents
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