[Patents] economic studies

[Gregory Aharonian srctran@world.std.com]

>Most people on this list are just concerned with software and perhaps
>"the informational", but don't have a strong opinion on patents in general.

Which I argue is an unethical point of view.  There are enough similarities
between the technology of software, and the technologies of other sciences,
that any policy changes considered for software patenting must be
considered for other areas of technology as well, especially since the
problems that plague software patenting (like poor quality due to a lack
of handling non-patent prior art) are problems that affect other areas
of technology (and other problems such as these exaggerated losses of
freedom and restraints on progress).  But to focus just on software is
a good indicator of a lack of seriousness in addressing these issues.

Greg Aharonian