[Patents] Report on software patents.

[Luuk van Dijk Luuk.van.Dijk@xs4all.nl]

Gregory Aharonian wrote:
> 
> Hartmut writes:
> 
> >At least if the process is to be program controlled, it must use
> >natural forces to cause a matter transformation not predictable
> >by computational means.  The result of sorting is computable.
> 
> Which bans large numbers of mechanical, chemical, biological, and
> electrical patents as well.
> 
> Look with a supercomputer and a superSPICE (a computer program for
> circuit analysis) I can predict computationally whatever "matter
> transformation" is being caused by an analog or digital circuit
> being patented.   Using mechanical CAD programs, I can predict the
> by computational means the matter transformation caused by a large
> number of the mechanical design patents being applied for (just
> determine the Langranging and integrate).
> 
> And maybe anything computationally predictable - mechanical,
> chemical, circuits, optics, software - should not be patentable.

Hear hear:  
notice the absence of contradiction in the following:

        - *all* software is unpatentable
        - all mechanical stuff that is just a computation really is 
unpatentable
        - all other mechanical stuff is patentable


> But once again I will point out that this just shows that there
> is nothing peculiar about software to treat it different for
> patenting purposes.

This seems to come up over and again.  Am I a troll or what?

Maybe we should do it step by step, and see where we start disagreeing.
If we get it sorted out where the difference of opinion originates from,
I promise I'll write a FAQ on the Aharonian-Hartmut debate for the 
mailing list.

Gentlemen, would you just answer the following question, please:

        What, if at all, is the difference between a computer 
        simulation of a molecule and a molecule?

Depending on your answers I'll try to think of the next question.
If my efforts to get this sorted out are appreciated, that is.

Luuk 

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Mind over Matter         Mind.over.Matter@xs4all.nl
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