Re: [Patents] EuroParl-ordered study to be presented in Paris

[Gregory Aharonian <srctran@world.std.com>]

>Copyright does not apply to ideas, but that doesn't mean it cannot serve
>to help people capture financial returns from their ideas.

Lousy advice to anyone trying to exploit their software ideas.  People 
will look at your ideas in whatever you copyright, change the expression
of the software (variable names, indenting schemes, order of modules -
all easily reengineered) and use your ideas without having to pay you
any money.  Publish your software ideas without patent protection, and
all you do is help make more consulting money for big companies like IBM.
You will end up capturing nothing, except a pat on the head from IBM.
But if you want to be so volunteer for such large companies, I applaud
your altruism.  

Greg AHaronian