Hi Thursday,

On Thu, Jan 20, 2005 at 11:06:01PM +0900, Thursday wrote:
> [...]
> Software patents have both positive and negative aspects.  Anyone simply 
> preaching that it is all bad or all good are merely displaying their 
> ignorance.
> 
> I don't think many people look at the pros and cons of software patents. 
>  I think many just ride the bandwagon after listening to just one side 
> of the argument (mindless sheep).

   Sorry, simply not true.

> [...]
> Keep in mind that software patents are granted ONLY if the patent 
> application provides SUFFICIENT DETAIL for an average person skilled in 
> computer science to successfully create the described invention WITHOUT 
> UNDUE EXPERIMENTATION.  This is in addition to being non-obvious and 
> novel (no prior art).

   Theoretically yes. But please do a little research and see _lots_ of
absolutely obvious patents (the e-shop by FFII is particularly entertaining:
http://webshop.ffii.org/).  I'm not saying that _necessarily_ most/all patents
are obvious, but obvious ones usually (can) do a lot of harm. And I don't see
non-obvious (I'm not even sure I've seen any of those) being
innovation-fostering.

   And sorry, but I find it hilarious that without patents there won't be
innovation. Do you see companies _not_ innovating or developing new things
because they can't "protect" their "inventions"? Small bussinesses don't even
have money to file/defend patents... :-)

   Sorry for the Off-Topic, but specially being European, I had to state that
people opposing patents aren't particularly mindless :-)

-- 
Esteban Manchado VeláÛquez <zoso / foton.es> - http://www.foton.es
EuropeSwPatentFree - http://EuropeSwPatentFree.hispalinux.es