Re: [Patents] Phil Salin on Software Patents

[Bernard Lang <Bernard.Lang@inria.fr>]

On Mon, Sep 01, 2003 at 02:39:54PM -0400, Russell McOrmond wrote:
> 
>   Replying to Greg, but written for the more open minded readers.
> 
> On Sun, 31 Aug 2003, Gregory Aharonian wrote:
> 
> > Software is just another field of engineering where systems, processes,
> > methods and structures are created. 
> 
>   Greg stating his personal opinion over and over again as if it were fact
> doesn't make it any more true.
> 
>   Greg refuses to acknowledge the difference between methods used to
> manipulate nature to create a product, and treating the methods themselves
> as a product separate from manipulations of nature. There are many ways to
> state this difference, and many different people stating them, all of
> which are ignored by Greg and other "one size fits all" patent extremists.

Greg has a totalitarian view of the world ... which is unfortunately
too common nowadays ...  Typically Gates is the same, and so is
Bush who analyses everything in black and white (if you do not follow
us, you are our ennemies).

>   Software patents do not protect the rights of software creators, they
> oppose them.  Software patents artificially treat software as it if was
> similar to hardware, and imposed "hardware like"  business models onto
> software.  There is absolutely no reason to impose government enforcement
> of the treatment of software as something that is "manufactured",
> distributed and sold on a per-unit basis.  I will always oppose
> big-government intervention into what should be a free market and impose
> such extreme form of business model regulation.

BTW:
 Is there any other case of a creation protected by copyright, such
that some other rights (held by someone else) may weaken the author's
right to do with his creation as he pleases ?

Bernard

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