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From: terry@cs.weber.edu (A Wizard of Earth C)
Subject: Re: Patents: What they are. What they aren't. Other factors.
Message-ID: <1992Oct23.204711.17987@fcom.cc.utah.edu>
Sender: news@fcom.cc.utah.edu
Organization: Weber State University (Ogden, UT)
References: <id.X18U.D6J@ferranti.com> <1992Oct20.201929.3183@fcom.cc.utah.edu> <id.R3AU.4ZF@ferranti.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 92 20:47:11 GMT
Lines: 44
In article <id.R3AU.4ZF@ferranti.com> peter@ferranti.com (peter da silva) writes:
>In article <1992Oct20.201929.3183@fcom.cc.utah.edu> terry@cs.weber.edu (A Wizard of Earth C) writes:
>> I think the argument against software patents is required to show deleterious
>> effects of patent law. Here, Peter claims "The rate of innovation in the
>> software community is simply amazing". Perhaps the reason "no intervention
>> ... to encourage the creation or publication of new algorithms" is necessary
>> is *because* software patents make it more cost effective to innovate than
>> to license?
>
>Now THIS is pretty far out. You're claiming that the new situation (software
>patents) explains the preexisting condition (a high rate of innovation).
By "software patents" I meant "patents on software", no some new form of
patent. For instance, how many clever methods of putting a cursor up have
resulted from the XOR patent? How many compression techniques have
resulted from a company ont wanting to license the LZW patents? How many
methods of updating a previously occluded window have come from not
wanting to license the backing store patent?
>There's this little thing called "cause and effect". Effects do not precede
>causes.
>
>> When was the last time you saw a new design for a sheet metal screw?
>
>About 6 months ago, when I assembled the kids' swing set. It had a built
>in lock nut and a nylon bearing. I'm pretty sure that technology itself
>(integral nylon bearings) is fairly new...
This is not new; a combination of existing technologies isn't patentable.
Perhaps I should have asked "when was the las time you saw a new patentable
design for a sheet metal screw?".
Terry Lambert
terry@icarus.weber.edu
terry_lambert@novell.com
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.
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