So well said, and that is coming from a top software innovator who could have single handedly block the advance of small software houses (in United States, at least) had he taken measures including software patents, as Carmack was the first to employ many new ideas.
Software patents are nothing less than shameful, as they allow the patenting of IDEAS. It blocks innovation instead of seeding it.
If you are a programmer, you will know that while there may be infinite approaches to a given problem, the most optimized solutions will very much look like eachother. Even though you may build your solution from scracth, it is highly probable that in some part of the world, someone may have similarly solved your problem. You should then pray that he hasn't patented it if you are ever going to make your solution public, as by doing so, you caused 'losses' to him by giving away his marvellous idea. Worse if you used it in a commercial application that you want to sell. You may never know what part of your software has 'already patented' ideas. And once you get sued, good luck trying to find prior art, because it is up to you, and not the patent institution who issues patents.
A good example of abuse of patents is E-Data. They said, once they are done with the big firms, they will go after the medium and small sized businesses..
My examples are mostly from the web, but the basic idea is all the same.
Software patents are there to protect the big and powerful from the rise of the weak, which allows them to crush competition before there can be any. Patents are mostly enforced for the good of big firms, as they don't like competition from the "weak and small", they want to be on the top of the food chain. Big firms with their horde of lawyers can deal with these issues, buying licenses or settling up with the patent issuer, or dismissing the case by finding prior art as they have the resources.
It is sad to know that there are shameless firms like E-Data, waiting the right moment to strike and make money off their patents, most of which cover so simple and basic ideas that leaves no space for different solutions, hence giving them unfair advantage.
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Seriously.. I don't know the answer, can someone answer?
So well said, and that is coming from a top software innovator who could have single handedly block the advance of small software houses (in United States, at least) had he taken measures including software patents, as Carmack was the first to employ many new ideas.
Software patents are nothing less than shameful, as they allow the patenting of IDEAS. It blocks innovation instead of seeding it.
A good example on how shameful the software patent system can be, and that even the simplest ideas can make its way to the patents.
If you are a programmer, you will know that while there may be infinite approaches to a given problem, the most optimized solutions will very much look like eachother. Even though you may build your solution from scracth, it is highly probable that in some part of the world, someone may have similarly solved your problem. You should then pray that he hasn't patented it if you are ever going to make your solution public, as by doing so, you caused 'losses' to him by giving away his marvellous idea. Worse if you used it in a commercial application that you want to sell. You may never know what part of your software has 'already patented' ideas. And once you get sued, good luck trying to find prior art, because it is up to you, and not the patent institution who issues patents.
A good example of abuse of patents is E-Data. They said, once they are done with the big firms, they will go after the medium and small sized businesses..
My examples are mostly from the web, but the basic idea is all the same.
Software patents are there to protect the big and powerful from the rise of the weak, which allows them to crush competition before there can be any. Patents are mostly enforced for the good of big firms, as they don't like competition from the "weak and small", they want to be on the top of the food chain. Big firms with their horde of lawyers can deal with these issues, buying licenses or settling up with the patent issuer, or dismissing the case by finding prior art as they have the resources.
It is sad to know that there are shameless firms like E-Data, waiting the right moment to strike and make money off their patents, most of which cover so simple and basic ideas that leaves no space for different solutions, hence giving them unfair advantage.