Open discussion of both sides of a story promotes greater understanding, so people can make up their own minds.
You should only feel threatened by this if you think Open Source has something to hide...
I'm not saying this is the same case, but with Digital Camcorders there's legislation in Europe that puts an extra tax on if the camcorder has a DV In enabled (because technically it becomes an "editing system") so companies ship with the port physically there but disabled (either in software or with a dip switch equivalent) so that the customer can save money. The manufacturer is helping you avoid EU tax, in this case.
Okay, they get more sales for only a cheap modification for them, but it isn't an evil marketing ploy.
Well, that pretty much covers most software interfaces.
Whatever happened to patents not being awarded to blindingly obvious evolutions of other ideas?
Slashdot Mirror
Open discussion of both sides of a story promotes greater understanding, so people can make up their own minds. You should only feel threatened by this if you think Open Source has something to hide...
I'm not saying this is the same case, but with Digital Camcorders there's legislation in Europe that puts an extra tax on if the camcorder has a DV In enabled (because technically it becomes an "editing system") so companies ship with the port physically there but disabled (either in software or with a dip switch equivalent) so that the customer can save money. The manufacturer is helping you avoid EU tax, in this case. Okay, they get more sales for only a cheap modification for them, but it isn't an evil marketing ploy.
Yes, that's true - which is why it's so worrying that this patent was awarded.
Well, that pretty much covers most software interfaces. Whatever happened to patents not being awarded to blindingly obvious evolutions of other ideas?
You can't retroactively assign patents. Otherwise I could patent the wheel and be richer than Bill Gates...