From rjriley@rjriley.com  Tue May 22 14:31:25 2001
From: rjriley@rjriley.com (Ronald J Riley)
Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 09:31:25 -0400
Subject: [Patents] Re: Pro Software Patents = Illegal
References: <Pine.LNX.4.31.0105221049520.5924-100000@querty.oas.a2e.de>
Message-ID: <050d01c0e2c3$8083df40$6401a8c0@flint1.mi.home.com>

----- Original Message -----
From: "PILCH Hartmut" <phm@a2e.de>
To: "Ronald J Riley" <rjriley@rjriley.com>
Cc: <epo@mlist.austria.eu.net>; <patents@aful.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2001 5:03 AM
Subject: Re: Pro Software Patents = Illegal


<<Even those software patents that are novel are crappy.>>

<<Even those few that are inventive (because represent significant advances
in the art of mathematics), have proven to be very harmful to that art.>>

So you are now acknowledging that there are real software inventions which you
have seen being covered by patents.

<<There is no good reason for honest patent professionals to tolerate the
parasitic acitvity of some asocials who are invading the field of pure
abstraction and degrading the software industry, sucking away its
lifeblood by turning it into a field for their litigation business.>>

Such a telling disclosure.  You are admitting that you think that others
inventions should be socialized for your and your colleagues benefit.

<<All this wrongdoing will turn back on those patent professionals who are
pursuing an honest business.  Please come forward to help us to lead the
patent system back onto an honorable and sustainable path.  Please show to
us that your trade is not a morally bankrupt outcast of history but
capable of relaunch and rejuvenation. Show us before it is too late and
all rests of moral credit have been destroyed.>>

The whole point of the patent system is to encourage disclosure of an invention.
Your comments have demonstrated that you  are looking at those inventions which
have been disclosed, and that you love the content so much that you wish to use
it.  But you simply are balking at having to pay the inventor.

You Have several options.

1) Wait until the patent expires, and then use the invention for free.

2) Purchase a license.

3) Infringe the patent and run the risk that someone will sue you.  If you do
so, do not be surprised if it costs you much more (three to ten times) than it
would have if you had simply licensed the invention.

4) Invent, if you can, an equally good alternative way of doing the same job,
and dedicate that invention to society, thereby demonstrating both your skills
and principles.

I suspect that if you were inventive that you would quickly become greedy and
asocial, file your own patents, and spend the rest of your life adjusting
attitudes of those who try to steal your work.

Ronald J. Riley  www.InventorEd.org/





