From pelegrin@labri.u-bordeaux.fr  Mon May  7 13:29:58 2001
From: pelegrin@labri.u-bordeaux.fr (Francois PELLEGRINI)
Date: Mon, 07 May 2001 14:29:58 +0200
Subject: [Patents] consultation questions
References: <1222901164-123170535@away.fr>
Message-ID: <3AF69546.39193D03@labri.u-bordeaux.fr>

Pierre Breese wrote:
> >> In helping the rise and the growth of european small companies innovative in
> >> softwares progress.
> >
> > It is not true and you know it well. See for instance :
> >
> > http://info.sm.umist.ac.uk/esrcip/background.htm
> >
> > I have listed some of its conclusions below.
> >
> > But since ou claim to be a specialist, M. Breese, we would like to
> > have your comments on the findings of this study...
> > Thanks for your comment.
> 
> My opinion is based on my professional exercise: most of my clients are SMEs or
> start up concerned by Internet technologies. They really need a strong
> protection for their real innovation, in order to manage return of invests, even
> when their competitor are bigger companies. Im also consultant for VCs and
> banks, and investors are mindful concerning IP assets.

Nice rethorics, but completely out of the subject.

Let me state that in a more direct way :
0)- I fully understand that managers from SMEs are interested in you
helping them
    patenting their algorithms if you tell them they can do it and that
it will be
    good for them.
1)- However, the study that I point you to states that patents are of no
use to SMEs,
    because it offers them no guarantee.
2)- Any large company can launch its lawyers and sink the SME whenever
they want.
3)- Consequently, patents are just sheets of paper for SMEs, that offer
no
    guarantee to investors. It is more a lure than anything...
4)- I understand well that some people may want to get hold on what does
not belong
    to them. If the law could be changed to allow patenting of air
breathing, I'm
    sure someone would do it quickly.

So my question is : do you say that the findings of this study are wrong
?


f.p.


