From poiqwe@excite.com  Thu May 10 19:54:10 2001
From: poiqwe@excite.com (Erik Josefsson)
Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 11:54:10 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Patents] European arguing for patenting pure math formulas
Message-ID: <4851814.989520850293.JavaMail.imail@ringo.excite.com>

Because some mathematicians in the 16th century kept their 
knowledge for themselves, this paper argues that if a
ideal patent system had been around, evoluton of mathematics
would have been faster.



Paul B. de Laat is trying to solve the problems of dead men:
  
"In the tradition of those days, he kept the secret for himself. Only on his
deathbed he handed it over to one of his pupils, Antonio Maria Fiore of
Venice (1526)."

"However, he made Cardano swear a solemn oath never to publish the
method before he, Tartaglia, would have done so himself."

"What would have been the effect [of patents] on the development of algebra
as a science? It would have had a beneficial effect, I presume. Del Ferro
would have applied for a patent right away, around 1515; if not, Tartaglia
would have done so 20 years later. As a result, decades earlier the cubic
would have been solved and available for public inspection."



but (thank god!) he makes the disclaimer:

"Of course, a word of caution is in order. A thorough examination of
present-day mathematics would be required to be able to judge whether these
conclusions, based on an examination of early algebra, can simply be copied
in the 20th century."



and even puts up some limits for patentability:

"I have argued for algebraic solutions to be ownable, on the grounds that at
least some room remains to sail past these. With number systems and similar
broad-ranging inventions such room seems no longer available. If a
monopolist of this kind would refuse licensing, then, given the fact that
any compulsory licensing would take time to come into effect, such a
monopoly would effectively preempt commercial use by anyone else for a
period of 20 years. Competition would come to a halt. Therefore, such a
patent regime is
not to be recommended."



quotes from
http://www.elsevier.nl/cas/tree/store/irl/sub/2000/20/2/5133.pdf


Greg, why don't you read some of that good old German litterature?

//Erik 





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