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IEEE Supports Software Patents In Wake of Bilski

Posted by timothy on from the they're-going-to-hell-for-that dept.

Mark Atwood points out this critical commentary on the IEEE's response to the outcome of In Re. Bilski, which points out the contrast between work done by IEEE luminaries like Donald Knuth and lobbying for software patents.

4 of 122 comments (clear)

  1. speaking of knuth by digitalsushi · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Where is today's huge breakthrough announcement?

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  2. The top 10 Bilski losers (besides Bilski & War by FlorianMueller · · Score: 3, Interesting
    The IEEE may consider itself and its most influential members to be among those who gain from the Bilski ruling and software patents, but here's my top ten list of losers:
    1. 1. The free software and open source communities
    2. 2. Software patent abolitionists
    3. 3. Small and medium-sized companies who can't or don't want to play the patent game
    4. 4. The proponents of bogus treatments: Linux Foundation, Open Invention Network etc.
    5. 5. The Patent Absurdity movie
    6. 6. Red Hat
    7. 7. Google's foray into new markets (Android, WebM)
    8. 8.Salesforce.com (Marc Benioff)
    9. 9. The "captive court" theory
    10. 10. IBM's open source credibility

    It was kind of surprising to see on Twitter that not only open source advocates such as Steven Vaughan-Nichols and Brian Proffitt considered that list a good summary but also ACT, a lobby organization that supports software patents all the way (we lobbied against each other several times). But ACT pointed out that they didn't agree with all I wrote. That didn't surprise me.

  3. No win, No loose by stanlyb · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It appears that the case is: No one won, No one lost. Which is good for our copyleft cause, because for the first time in USA patent history, the judge questions the whole nasty patent troll system, and who knows, maybe there will some positive change? Or with other words: I have a dream, a world, without war.......and software patents.

  4. Nice point. by jd · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Donald Knuth, and many of the other top names from IEEE, have name-brand power comparable to the IEEE itself. A split is not entirely impossible. If that happens (and in all seriousness, I expect the announcement to be at least a threat of a split) and the rival has reasonable policies and ethics, it will likely capture a fair chunk of the income and PR of the IEEE. (Hell, I've seen arXiv mentioned more in the popular press than the IEEE.) That could cause a serious disturbance in the Force, not to mention a serious disturbance in boardrooms, where there's a heavy reliance on political leverage to get things done. It's extremely difficult to manipulate crusaders - it can be done, but the RIAA and MPAA don't have that kind of Machiavellian skill.

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    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)