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

[Bernard Lang Bernard.Lang@inria.fr]

On Tue, Dec 26, 2000 at 08:35:56PM -0000, Nick F. wrote:
> Dear Bernard,
> 
> > I am talking of public interest, not public opinion.
> > The issue requires economic, technological, sociological analysis, in
> > order to decide where the public interest lies.
> > 
> > Public opinion is essentially irrelevant.  Even corporate opinions.
> > 
> 
> I for one do not like the idea of people doing things 'in the public
>  interest' without actually asking the public what they want. I am 
> sure that the spanish inquisition thought they were acting in the "public
>  interest" in butchering heretics all those centuries ago, and I for one 
> feel
>  you would do well to remember the famous phrase "there are lies, damned 
> lies and statistics" before you use any "analysis" to determine where the
> public interest lies. I for one, prefer to be asked first rather than be 
> told
> what is best for me. 

I am sorry for you, but you are incompetent, and I am too.

The whole purpose of representative democracy is to set objectives and
principles, and to elect people to uphold the principles and work
towards the objective.  These have to be stated in general terms, and
it is up to whoever is elected to achieve the best compromise.  When
the term is elapsed, the voters decide whether they consider that the
job was adequately done or not.  Micromanagement of every single
issue, as in business, is counter-productive.

   Elected people in charge (are supposed to) do their best, using
whatever technical help they can get, to achieve the best results for
the public.  Public opinion is technically incompetent as a rule, and
you know it.  The public judges on results and votes.  The difference
with the inquisition is that the inquisition was not elected.

  Now you want to throw the baby with the bathwater, because economic
analysis does not always work well.  So be it.  Then my question is:
what right have you to prevent me from using a technique just because
you described it first to some patent office ?
   Why should society spend money to help you enforce that right you
pretend to have ?

> Just a quick point of interest. In England, people who write
> software are called programmers, computer scientists and software
> engineers, (among others..). The title largely depends upon whom you
> are trying to impress as the actual act of programming is
> essentially the same, regardless of what you want to call it.

what are you trying to say ????

> And when you have decided what to call it, you will still be none
> the wiser as to whether patents are good or bad for mankind as a
> whole, and not just one small section of it.

so what ... the point is, when you don't know whether the scale tips
one way or the other, then the choice must be on the side of freedom.
And patents restrict freedom.

   and I do not see what you refer to by "one small section of mankind"

Cordialement

  Bernard lang

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