[Patents] patent pools enforcing per-copy-licensing mode of software development

[A +W Endres endres-sifi@t-online.de]

Hello, Mr. Lang,

Bernard Lang schrieb:

>   Just one question. How do you justify that the computer scientist
> can own his work and the mathematician cannot ?

Basicly, my position is that computer science is both science and engineering.

Which part is dominant is part of a lively discussion. I am mostly inclined
toward the position expressed by Dave Parnas. My other point is, that
scientists (including mathematicians) are typically making discoveries,
engineers
make inventions. Traditionally, discoveries belong to humankind, inventions
to the inventor. This is the tradition. I am aware that some people like to
change
this.

> And if you will permit a remark regarding your point 5.  Information
> and knowledge are naturally public goods, according to the definitions
> of economists.  Food, land or minerals are not. It is not a matter of
> taste or political choice.  It has to do with the natural properties
> of these goods.

You must be reading different economic literature than I do. I think
it is too restrictive to limit the concept of properrty to physical goods.
Of course, information goods like music compositions and airplane
designs have different properties than potatos and copper wires.

>    And regarding what should or should not be made a property, this is
> to be decided on the basis of public interest, to maximize economic
> and technical growth.  It is the case that economists do not think
> that software patents help, as the IPI study published by the
> commission shows quite clearly in its section 3.

I think that is what the current discussion is about. I only want to
avoid the impression that only one opinion is taken as the "public
opinion",  if I feel that is not (yet) the case.

>    The fact that you can come up with specific couter-examples is not
> relevant.  It is the general macroeconomic effect of having software
> patents that matters.

My example represents a class of counter-examples, not just a
single one. The same apllies to the examples quoted by the FFII.

Sincerely, Al Endres