It seems that recent years has seen patent law slowly displace (never completely) copyright law as the principal means for protecting software and software-related inventions. Is this a positive development in your opinion (e.g., patent term is shorter)? In addition, do you think that patent law is a better "fit" for software, i.e., software is better treated as an "invention" instead of a "writing?" Do you advocate some third type of protection regime that perhaps is a hybrid between the two? (This relates to a previous post which asks you for your "Platonic ideal" IP laws if given a tabula rasa.) Thanks.
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It seems that recent years has seen patent law slowly displace (never completely) copyright law as the principal means for protecting software and software-related inventions. Is this a positive development in your opinion (e.g., patent term is shorter)? In addition, do you think that patent law is a better "fit" for software, i.e., software is better treated as an "invention" instead of a "writing?" Do you advocate some third type of protection regime that perhaps is a hybrid between the two? (This relates to a previous post which asks you for your "Platonic ideal" IP laws if given a tabula rasa.) Thanks.