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Stallman on Software Patents

Posted by michael on from the symphony-in-perl-minor dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes "On Monday Richard Stallman gave a speech at the Cambridge University (UK) Computer Lab. Over at ZDNet UK they have a transcription of the speech - the most eloquent discussion of the subject I have yet seen. Software patents victimise developers, he says, but there are ways to get around them. The best part is his comparison of writing software to writing symphonies: 'Oh Beethoven,' they would have said in 1800 if there had been patents on music, 'you're just bitching because you've got no ideas of your own.'"

4 of 388 comments (clear)

  1. Someone did create innovative software! by simpleguy · · Score: 2, Funny

    quote..

    Nobody is so brilliant they can create completely new music that everyone wants to listen to, and nobody can create software that does not use existing ideas.

    ...end of quote

    Well excuse me Honorable Stallman but I know a really original piece of software that does not use existing ideas. Its revolutionary in itself.

    Check it out at http://freshmeat.net/projects/gtktrue

  2. no way, AC don't desserve fp at all by Adolf+Hitroll · · Score: 0, Funny

    when I read you I wonder how I would suppose you were another schizophrenic I.

    had you been logged in I'd have given you fp.

    are you Michael ?

    BTW: has sbd some news concerning atrowe (the guy that used to sign "card carrying mensa member - i have no toleranse for stupidity") ?
    he sure was a great troll.

    --
    Smile, don't click...
  3. Is RMS a closet Windows user? by badzilla · · Score: 2, Funny

    In Part III of his speech... "To make a copy of a program you type 'copy', and the same copy command will copy any program."

    Hmm, but wouldn't you have thought someone like him would use "cp" :)

    --
    "Don't belong. Never join. Think for yourself. Peace." V.Stone, Microsoft Corporation
  4. Just think of all the trouble.. by Astrorunner · · Score: 2, Funny

    that would be caused if they patented something like, say, the .GIF format.

    We'd all be paying out the ass!