Re: [Patents] Brevets logiciels

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

Marcel posts part of a nasty letter he received:
>Vous ?tes donc en situation de contrefa?on par rapport au brevet
>WO0104742 d?pos? par notre soci?t?.

First, the indicator WO0104742 does NOT refer to an issued patent, but
rather a PCT Application, which has no enforcement value anywhere in 
the world.  Typically PCT Applications are converted into national
applications, to be examined, and POSSIBLY granted as a national patent.

>Nous vous demandons de cesser imm?diatement la commercialisation de
>ce produit.

Since they are not asserting an issued patent, they can NOT demand that
you cease selling or distributing your product.  So write them a letter
telling them to stick their PCT Application up their butts (or whatever
the equivalent nasty French insult is).

So your situation does not reflect a danger of software patents, but
rather the dangers of the lack of education about patents in general.

I hope you ignored this idiotic threat letter.  And if you receive any
emails from Nigerians, here is a bit of advice, ignore them as well.

Greg Aharonian