Perens on Patents

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Posted by michael on Friday January 23, 2004 @05:19AM from the perennial dept.

lewiz writes "An interesting interview with Bruce Perens over at the BBC. He's up discussing the role of HP, IBM, et al and the move towards Linux. However, his main point is about software patents and how they are much more of a problem than SCO: 'We're looking at a future where only the very largest companies will be able to implement software, and it will technically be illegal for other people to do so.'"

8 of 366 comments (clear)

ugh by digitalsushi · 2004-01-23 05:24 · Score: 3, Funny

'We're looking at a future where only the very largest companies will be able to implement software, and it will technically be illegal for other people to do so.'"

Well, that will work out good when in the future we all work at The Company.

--
slashdot: where everyone yells sarcastic metaphors to themselves to understand the issue
patent patents by pizza_milkshake · 2004-01-23 05:54 · Score: 2, Funny

then sue the Patent Office for infringement
Re:CS is math by imadork · 2004-01-23 06:39 · Score: 2, Funny

(Our second big loss has been the "IP" fudge, which is blurring the distinctions between patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, competative advantages, wishful thinking, bullshit, and marketing babble into one vague pile of lawyer poo).
Excellent. I think I need to come up with a shorter version of that to turn into my new sig!
Re:CS is math by MarkusQ · 2004-01-23 06:59 · Score: 3, Funny

Excellent. I think I need to come up with a shorter version of that to turn into my new sig!
*smile* Fine, so long as you realize that it's my intellectual property.
-- MarkusQ
P.S. For a while (1999?) my sig was "Intellectual Property is neither."
Re:Prior Art by ilikecaffeine · 2004-01-23 07:08 · Score: 2, Funny
Keep in mind that "prior art" does not include stuff written as soon as the patent is seen. It has to be prior to when the patent was filed.

So, if we limit ourselves to finding prior art for software patents, there's an even more effective method. I propose a three point plan:
- Monkeys
- Typewriters
- Time
They will spew out prior art for every future software patent. Simply toss the stuff that doesn't compile, and make the rest searchable.

"We're not sure exactly how this code works, but we're fairly certain it's functionally identical to this patent application."

p.s. I have submitted a patent for this very anti-patent system, so don't even try to implement it. My other monkeys will track you down, and they will hurt you.
Re:Prior Art by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-23 07:36 · Score: 1, Funny

* Monkeys
* Typewriters
* Time
I thought that's what Sourceforge is!?
Sounds like . . . by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-23 07:48 · Score: 1, Funny

Illustrator (lack of this is HUGE, and don't tell me to use Sodipodi 'cause it ain't cuttin' it.)
Photoshop (don't tell me to use the GIMP, I've been having this argument with people for 6 years and it is not holding any more water.)

also blah blah graphics designer blah blah

Sounds like you want a Mac, my friend.
Re:CS is math by bokmann · 2004-01-23 14:18 · Score: 2, Funny

I have just applied for a patent on the first 10 million digit prime number. Much like SCO, I'm not going to tell you the number (but I can tell you the process by which I discovered it).

When the Gimps Project finds it, I am going to sue them for the $100,000 prize they will collect.

At that time, I will announce the 10 million digit number as 'exhibit A' in my lawsuit.

I like the idea of patenting math.