From srctran@world.std.com  Thu Jan 18 17:06:33 2001
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2001 12:06:33 -0500 (EST)
From: Gregory Aharonian srctran@world.std.com
Subject: COMPAQ-PREDATION (it was: Re: [Patents] Compaq plans to crack
 down on web searching)

>And now you may see, dear Greg, how predative, aggressive and relentless
>may be every company which hold and pursues software patents.  And you
>still support software patents?  Please tell me.

As opposed to biotech, electronic, optical, medical and other companies
in other industries that are predative, aggressive and relentless in
the assertion of their patents?  Heck, software patent holders are
often amateurs compared to the patent tactics of companies in other
industries.  Again, if such tactics are permissible and ethical for
companies in other industries to use, they should be just as permissible
and ethical for software companies to use, because there is nothing
special about software, just another industry making use of patents.
And like other technology industries, many of the patents being issued
should not have issued.  So I suppose what Compaq is doing is in an
absolute sense a crime against humanity, but in a relative sense it
is no different than what other companies in other indusries do with
their patents.

Greg Aharonian




